New giant waterlily, Victoria colombiana, described from Colombia's Inírida River

Mixed · 2Researchers have formally described a new species of giant waterlily, Victoria colombiana, found in the Inírida River region of Colombia. 1 2 Mixed · 2The Guardian reports that the paper was published on Friday in the journal Phytotaxa; GB News also names Phytotaxa as the journal. 2 3 Mixed · 2The lead came from social media: Jeremiah Harris, who runs a carnivorous plant business in the US, posted photos of himself swimming beside what he took to be Victoria amazonica. Carlos Magdalena of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, noticed that the species' range was not thought to reach this river. 1 2

Mixed · 2Magdalena and colleagues examined satellite images, which showed green dots indicating giant waterlilies. The Guardian says he spent several years on this analysis and on securing funding and permits. 1 2 Mixed · 2An expedition found two plants, but neither was flowering, and flowers are essential for establishing a new species. A local guide then led the team by boat in the dark to a small lake, where they found five plants, some in flower. New Scientist names the guide as Gustavo Melo of the Indigenous Tucano community and says it was 11pm on the last night, with the plane due at 9am. The Guardian calls him a driver and says about 10 hours remained before the return flight. 1 2 Centre · 1According to New Scientist, V. colombiana differs from V. amazonica in the orientation of the spines under its leaves and in the shape of its flowers and fruits. Maarten Christenhusz says the spines defend against manatees and plant-eating fish. 1

Mixed · 3Giant waterlily leaves grow up to 3 metres across, according to New Scientist and the Guardian, while GB News puts the new species' pads at up to two metres. The Guardian and GB News both say the plant can be seen from space. 1 3 2 Mixed · 2The team estimates there are 30 to 50 plants in the wild, and the Guardian describes the species as critically endangered. New Scientist says it is known from only one small area and could be wiped out by a single event such as a pollution spill. 2 1 Mixed · 2The team plans to collect seed to safeguard the species. The Guardian adds that it is working towards an IUCN Red List designation, is considering a naturalised population in a more accessible lake within indigenous territory, and hopes to cultivate the plant in Bogotá and possibly at Kew. 1 2

Mixed · 2New Scientist places the find in a wider run of discoveries. Only V. amazonica and V. cruziana were known for decades, then V. boliviana was described in 2022, and a fifth species from the Pantanal, to be named Victoria mattogrossensis, is due to be described soon, bringing the total to five. The Guardian says there are just three other known giant waterlilies, which implies four in total, so the outlets differ on the count. 1 2 Mixed · 2Magdalena said the story shows indigenous and horticultural knowledge, social media and technology coming together, and that much remains to be discovered. Christenhusz said it is remarkable to find something so large and new. 2 1 Mixed · 3The outlets differ on when Magdalena first saw the photos: New Scientist says Harris posted them in 2021, the Guardian says Magdalena saw them three years ago, and GB News says five years ago. 1 2 3

Right · 1GB News adds that the expedition included Mauricio Bernal of the Jardín Botánico de Bogotá and indigenous reserve members Nilo Rodríguez, Jaime Hernández and Gustavo Melo, and that Melo, a boatman, led the team out at 1am to a lake where they found five more plants, one in flower. The research team has since identified a third lake with the waterlily. 3 Right · 1GB News says satellite comparisons suggest more plants may become detectable when dry-season water levels fall, though reaching sites on foot is harder than by boat in flood. It says a naturalised group in an accessible lake could support local ecotourism. 3