Name needed for rare endemic cliff-dwelling Brac shrub

The Department of Environment is turning to the public to help name a plant so rare, it only occurs in a small part of Cayman Brac.

Its scientific name is verbenisa caymanesis.

It’s a small shrub that is found rooted into fissures along the Spot Bay and Northeast Bay cliffs. DOE Research Officer Jane Haakonsson told Cayman 27 the department is hoping someone will come up with a creative and fitting name for the shrub – that has a bit of a better ring to it.

“They come up with excellent Latin names, but they’re just not that catchy,” said Ms. Haakonsson. We feel like we can do better than the verbenesis caymanensis. As we know, most species have a Latin and a common name, and we just don’t have a common name.”

Ms. Haakonsson said so far between 50 and 100 submissions have been received. The winner, picked by a DOE committee, will win a rock climbing tour with Rock Iguana LTD on Cayman Brac.