Arabidopsis thaliana was first described by Johannes Thal, a German doctor and botanist born in 1542, who stumbled across it while on an alpine walk. Credit: SalicynaWhile it may look like a weed, Arabidopsis belongs to the Brassicaceae, or mustard family. Drawings of the A. thaliana plant by Swedish botanist, Carl A.M. Lindman (1856-1928). Enthusiasm for Arabidopsis research remained tepid in the United States during the 60s and sparked only slightly more attention in Germany. “A Most Important Mustard.” Asimov Press (2025).