Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 2 days ago
Researchers confirm a new giant waterlily species in Colombia
Researchers have confirmed Victoria colombiana as a new species of giant waterlily in Colombia’s Inírida region.
The search began after horticulturist Jeremiah Harris posted a photo of the plant on Instagram, where he had identified it as a different species.
Waterlily expert Carlos Magdalena noticed that the plant was growing outside the known range of that species and used satellite images to find more plants.
On a five-day rainforest expedition, researchers found waterlilies but needed a flower to confirm their identity.
Local Indigenous partners guided the team to a small lake, where they found a flowering plant shortly before leaving.
The newly named waterlily is extremely rare, with an estimated 30 to 50 plants in the wild, and is considered at risk of extinction.
Researchers are trying to collect its seeds to grow it in botanic gardens and near Indigenous communities.
Researchers confirmed Victoria colombiana as a new species of giant waterlily after tracing it from an Instagram photo taken in Colombia.
The plant was found in the Inírida River region, where the more familiar Victoria amazonica was not known to grow.
A five-day expedition found flowering plants in a small lake deep in the flooded rainforest.
Researchers estimate that only 30 to 50 Victoria colombiana plants remain in the wild.
The species is considered critically endangered.
- Who
- Researchers led by Carlos Magdalena of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, with local Indigenous community members.
- What
- They confirmed Victoria colombiana as a new species of giant waterlily.
- When
- The Instagram photo was posted in 2021; the species was confirmed in a study published on Friday.
- Where
- The Inírida River region of Guainía, Colombia.
- Why
- The plant appeared unlike known species in the region, prompting researchers to investigate and formally identify it.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
So the moment I saw the picture on Instagram with a geolocation on Inírida I realized it was remarkable
It was so emotional I shed a tear, it was one of those moments that will remain with me for life
I was just so excited, absolutely elated
Carlos Magdalena saw Jeremiah Harris’s Instagram photos of giant waterlilies in Colombia’s Inírida River.
Magdalena examined satellite imagery and found more giant waterlily pads in the river system.
Researchers searched the flooded rainforest and found flowering waterlilies at a small lake.
A paper in Phytotaxa confirmed Victoria colombiana as a new species.
- Scientific name
- Victoria colombiana
- Location
- Inírida River region, Guainía, Colombia
- Estimated wild population
- 30–50 plants
- Expedition length
- Five days
- Identification paper
- Published in Phytotaxa
Sources
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