A team of scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London, unveiled the discovery of the world’s largest species of water lily (popularly known as the water lily) in a study published in the journal Frontiers in Plant Science.
With leaves that can grow up to ten feet across, the previously unidentified species has been in Kew’s herbarium all along. The first specimens of giant water lilies were first brought to Britain from Bolivia and coined the genus Victoria in 1852 in honor of Queen Victoria
The novelty was discovered after realizing the species had been treated with the wrong identity. Scientists initially believed that there were only two subspecies of giant lilies, Victoria amazonica and Victoria cruziana.
2 of 3 The new species, Victoria boliviana, was named in honor of the Bolivians present on the research team — Photo: Reproduction/Kew Royal Botanic Gardens
The new species, Victoria Boliviana, was named in honor of the Bolivians present on the research team — Photo: Reproduction/Kew Royal Botanic Gardens
However, it is now clear that specimens of at least one other species have made the journey from South America to Kew, west London, now named Bolivian Victoria in honor of the partners in the Bolivian research team.
“With the rapid loss of biodiversity, characterizing new species is an extremely important task,” said Alex Monro, head of research in the Americas, adding that he hopes his team’s research will inspire other scientists looking for new species.
3 of 3 Carlos Magdalena in Bolivia, where Bolivian Victoria occurs naturally — Photo: Reproduction/Kew Royal Botanic Gardens
Carlos Magdalena in Bolivia, where Bolivian Victoria occurs naturally — Photo: Reproduction/Kew Royal Botanic Gardens
Carlos Magdalena, a gardener specializing in water lilies and leader of the research team, has suspected the existence of this third species for years. The opportunity to prove his suspicions arose when, in 2016, he received a collection of seeds from the Bolivian institutions Jardim Botânico Santa Cruz de La Sierra and Jardins La Rinconada.
As they germinated and grew, he compared them to other species and already noticed a striking difference. Lucy Smith, a botanical artist who specializes in lily illustrations, told NBC News that the species can be seen on satellite imagery thanks to its unusual size.
“Every plant in an ecosystem plays an important role. Perhaps we can use the most gigantic and charismatic plants to highlight the fact that there are many species of plants that are not yet known to science and that are not yet understood,” Smith said.