Six Favorite Plants Named for People – and Some May Surprise You

"Wisteria is named in honor of Caspar Wistar, ("Wiss-Star") a distinguished physician, and scientist of Philadelphia.

Leonard Fuchs, a German botanist, discovered the plant known as fuchsia, while William Forsyth, a Scotch botanist, is responsible for the name of forsythia."

August 1, 1950 

The Ithaca Journal out of Ithaca, New York, published a question from a reader.

The reader wanted an answer to this question:

Please list a few plants that are named for people.

 

Here is the answer:

The poinsettia was named for Joel R. Poinsett, a famous statesman.

Wisteria is named in honor of Caspar Wistar, ("Wiss-Star") a distinguished physician, and scientist of Philadelphia.

Leonard Fuchs, a German botanist, discovered the plant known as fuchsia, while William Forsyth, a Scotch botanist, is responsible for the name of forsythia.

The name of Louis Antoine de Bougainville, a French soldier and explorer, is perpetuated in the bougainvillea.

The Paulownia is named for the Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna, daughter of Czar Paul I."


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The Ithaca Journal
The Ithaca Journal
Caspar Wistar
Caspar Wistar
Joel Roberts Poinsett
Joel Roberts Poinsett
Leonhart Fuchs
Leonhart Fuchs
William Forsyth
William Forsyth
Louis Antoine de Bougainville
Louis Antoine de Bougainville
Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna
Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna

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