How a plant selfie in Colombian jungle led to ‘jaw dropping’ giant waterlily find
Species with leaves large enough to be seen from space is already critically endangered – and plans are afoot to protect it
TL;DR
- A new species of giant waterlily, Victoria colombiana, has been discovered in Colombia.
- The discovery was initiated by a social media photo and pursued by expert Carlos Magdalena.
- The waterlily is extremely large, visible from space, and considered critically endangered.
- Urgent conservation plans are being developed, including seed collection and potential cultivation.
- The discovery highlights the vast amount of undiscovered life on Earth.