All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
A new species of fern has been named in Lady Gaga's honor.
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
">The most outrageous singer of our time, Lady Gaga, sang her heart out... And she sang her heart out so much that now a new species of fern will bear her name. This was announced by scientists from Duke University. The plant is widespread in Central and South America, Mexico, Arizona and Texas.
The thing is that at one stage of its life, the new species of fern becomes very similar to one of Lady Gaga's famous costumes.
Gaga monstraparva (literally, little monster – this is the affectionate nickname the singer uses for her fans) is one of nineteen species of fern that has the honor of bearing the name of the brightest and most extraordinary star of pop music.
"Lady Gaga is a worthy recipient of this honor. She is a passionate advocate for equality in all areas of life and is not afraid to express her individuality in a way that may seem unacceptable to most people," said study leader Kathleen Prayer.
In 2010, at the Grammy Awards ceremony, Gaga appeared in a suit from the fashion house Armani. It was “equipped” with giant shoulders that made it look like a heart. The trained eyes of scientists immediately recognized the gametophyte in this suit – the stage of maturation of a fern, at which it begins to look like the singer’s strange concert dress. Even the color matches – Lady Gaga felt that she needed to dress in green.
The decisive argument that pushed the experts to the final approval of the name in honor of Gaga was the DNA analysis, during which it was found that the structure of this particular type of fern differs significantly from the DNA structure of other types of this plant. This was the last straw, and the scales tipped in favor of the singer's name, because, in fact, Lady Gaga is a real phenomenon, who in terms of shock value and provocation will give odds to any young singer, and there is not a single person who would resemble her.
However, Lady Gaga is not the only one whose name has been immortalized in science. For example, a species of Californian lichen is named after US President Barack Obama, while actress Helen Mirren can be proud of a meat-eating flower growing in the jungle that bears her name, and researcher Brian Lessard, for example, likes the singer Beyoncé, so he decided to somehow thank the singer for her talent and named a horsefly after her.
[ 1 ]