How a plant selfie in Colombian jungle led to ‘jaw dropping’ giant waterlily find

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1. 56m ago

   Instagram Selfie Leads to New Giant Waterlily Species in Colombia

   An American tourist posting an Instagram selfie in the Colombian jungle inadvertently helped scientists discover a brand-new species of giant waterlily named Victoria colombiana. Kew botanist Carlos Magdalena spotted the plant in the background of the social media photo, prompting an expedition where indigenous guides led researchers to the specimen in the Orinoco watershed. The find nearly doubles the number of known species of giant waterlilies, which feature leaves so massive they can be seen from space. Despite its staggering size, the newly identified plant may already be critically endangered.

   Why it matters

   Giant waterlilies are among the most striking aquatic plants in the world due to their immense leaf size. This accidental social media discovery highlights how modern digital platforms and crowdsourced imagery can aid formal botanical expeditions. However, the excitement of the find is tempered by warnings over the extreme vulnerability of the newly cataloged species.

   What is confirmed

   • An American tourist posted an Instagram selfie in Colombia that helped scientists discover a new species of giant waterlily.
   • Kew botanist Carlos Magdalena spotted Victoria colombiana in the background of the Instagram photo.
   • Indigenous guides subsequently led researchers to the giant waterlily plant in the Orinoco watershed.
   • The discovery nearly doubles the known number of species of giant waterlilies.
   • The new species features leaves large enough to be seen from space.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Plans are afoot to protect the critically endangered giant waterlily species.

   What to watch next

   • Official population assessments or census data on the remaining wild plants
   • Implementation of specific conservation plans to protect the habitat of Victoria colombiana
   Sources used for this update (10)

   1. Phys.org — Chance Instagram sighting leads to discovery of rare giant water lily in Colombia
   2. People.com — An American Tourist Posted an Instagram Selfie in Colombia. It Helped Scientists Discover a Whole New Species
   3. The Guardian — How a plant selfie in Colombian jungle led to ‘jaw dropping’ giant waterlily find
   4. New Scientist — Number of known species of giant waterlilies almost doubles
   5. IFLScience — New Species Of Waterlily Discovered By Scrolling Instagram May Already Be Critically Endangered
   6. gizmodo.com — Someone Posted an Instagram Selfie. Scientists Spotted a Giant New Species in the Background - Gizmodo
   7. colombiaone.com — Colombia Discovers New Giant Water Lily Species
   8. www.theguardian.com — How a plant selfie in Colombian jungle led to ‘jaw dropping ...
   9. www.meridia.news — New Giant Waterlily Found in Colombia After | Meridia
   10. www.techtimes.com — New Giant Waterlily Found via Instagram Has Fewer Than 50 Wild Plants Left - Tech Times
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