Costa Rican fern named after Lady Gaga

Costa Rica - Could Lady Gaga be tickled by something as earthly as having a fern named after her? Scientists in Costa Rica hope so.

A new species of the plant was identified recently on a slope, oddly, called the Hill of Death, south of the capital San Jose.

And researchers from Duke University in the United States who found it, decided to name it "Gaga Germanotta" the newspaper La Nacion reported on Thursday.

Gaga to perform in Costa Rica

The second part of the fern is a tribute to the pop singer's real name, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta.

Lady Gaga is set to perform in Costa Rica on 3 November, her first concert in Central America, and the plant-naming is supposed to be a way to welcome her.

Kathleen Pryer, part of the fern research team, said the singer is being honoured for her commitment to "equality, respect for diversity and personal freedom".

"We do not know her, but we want to connect botany with the world of a singer like Lady Gaga," Pryer said.