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Chance Instagram sighting leads to discovery of rare giant water lily in Colombia
Phys.org • • world
Key Points:
- A new species of giant water lily, Victoria colombiana, has been discovered in Colombia's Inírida region, with pads up to 2 meters wide, joining three other known species in the Victoria genus.
- The discovery originated from a social media photo spotted by botanist Carlos Magdalena, leading to a challenging expedition involving Indigenous guides and a late-night boat trip to locate flowering specimens necessary for scientific description.
- The species is extremely rare, with an estimated 30 to 50 individuals in the wild, prompting efforts for conservation, including potential cultivation and ecotourism initiatives within Indigenous territories.
- Researchers are working on an IUCN Red List assessment to classify V. colombiana as critically endangered and aim to cultivate the species in botanical gardens, including Kew Gardens, to ensure its preservation.
- This discovery highlights the importance of combining Indigenous knowledge, technology, and scientific collaboration to uncover and protect previously unknown species in remote ecosystems.
