Kirkia is a genus of plant in family Kirkiaceae.[1] It was previously placed in family Simaroubaceae, but was transferred into Kirkiaceae, together with Pleiokirkia, because these genera produce neither quassinoids nor limonoids.
The genus name of Kirkia is in honour of Sir John Kirk, GCMG, KCB, FRS (1832–1922), who was a physician, naturalist, companion to explorer David Livingstone, and British administrator in Zanzibar.[2]
'Kirkia' is also the name of 'The Zimbabwe Journal of Botany', published by the National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe. Since 1960 to the present day and written in English.[13][14]