Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens in London have named a new tree species after Leonardo DiCaprio. They did so as a tribute to the American actor for his help in saving a rainforest in Cameroon, the BBC reported on Thursday.
The new tree is officially called Uvariopsis dicaprio. It is recognizable by the yellow blossoms that grow from the trunk and can only be found in a small part of the Ebo Forest in Cameroon. It is the first new tree to be officially named this year.
“Leonardo played a crucial role in stopping the logging in the Ebo Forest,” said study researcher Martin Cheek. The actor launched a social media campaign in 2020 to combat deforestation in the forest. Months later, Cameroonian President Paul Biya decided – according to the scientists “probably because of DiCaprio’s efforts” – to stop the forest clearing.
It is more common for new animal or plant species to be named after celebrities. In the Caribbean, for example, a parasite has been named after Bob Marley, an Australian horsefly bears the name of Beyoncé and a frog has been given the name of the British Prince Charles.