Ayahuasca and Arabidopsis: The Philosopher Plant and the Scientist’s Specimen

This article examines how humans communicate with and about two seemingly disparate plants—ayahuasca, a psychedelic Amazonian vine, and Arabidopsis, a common laboratory model organism. Ayahuasca is portrayed as a 'Philosopher Plant' that enables self-knowledge and cross-species embodiment, while also supporting Amazonian indigenous claims to land and sovereignty. Arabidopsis, known as the 'Botanical Drosophila,' serves as a standardized experimental organism in scientific research. The author uses a 'rhizomatic' approach to argue that these different modes of human-plant interaction reveal varied conceptions of 'the human' and suggest that cross-pollinating ideas from both contexts can foster collaborative survival between humans and plants.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Moving among the laboratory, the Brazilian Amazon, and herbaria, this article cultivates a theoretical grafting of phytocommunicable strategies that stem from human interactions with ayahuasca and Arabidopsis, two plants that appear – at least geographically – worlds apart. Ayahuasca, a psychedelic Amazonian vine, represents the 'Philosopher Plant', guiding imbibers to greater self-knowledge and facilitating embodiment across species divides. It also links Amazonian indigenous claims to land and political sovereignty through cultural patrimony. Arabidopsis, also known as the 'Botanical Drosophila' and 'rat-plant' for its role as an experimental organism, is a 'scientist's specimen' in laboratory research. These two plants demonstrate different ways that humans think, interact and communicate with or about plants, shaping and shaped by different conceptions of 'the human' in relation to other organisms. I take a 'rhizomatic' approach to provide multiple modes of analytical entry to phytocommunicable models, arguing for a cross-pollination of ideas in fertilising futures of human-plant collaborative survival.