It turns out that the huge water lily that had been sampled in the botanical garden for 177 years was actually a 'new species'
by RBG Kew
When you hear the news that you've discovered a new species, you might imagine that it was a harsh environment that humans couldn't easily explore, or that it lived quietly in undeveloped hinterland. However, a newly reported new species of the
Frontiers | Revised Species Delimitation in the Giant Water Lily Genus Victoria (Nymphaeaceae) Confirms a New Species and Has Implications for Its Conservation
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.883151
Uncovering the giant waterlily: A botanical wonder of the world | Kew
https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/new-giant-waterlily-victoria-boliviana-discovered-at-kew
A New Species of Absolutely Enormous Waterlily Has Been Hiding in Plain Sight
https://www.sciencealert.com/a-new-species-of-absolutely-enormous-waterlily-has-been-hiding-in-plain-sight
The genus Victoria has long been identified, with only two species, the Victoria Amazonica and the Victoria cruziana . However, Carlos Magdalena, a senior botanical gardener at the Kew Botanical Garden and a world authority on water lilies, thought that there was a third species, and grew a seed collection donated by the Bolivian botanical garden and conducted a survey. rice field.
As a result of comparing the appearance of water lilies grown in the Kew Botanical Garden, the shape of seeds, DNA analysis, etc., it was found that the Bolivian species is a third species different from the two species of the genus Victoria Amazonica that have been known so far. .. This is a new photo of the species named ' Victoria boliviana '. The diameter of the leaves reaches 3 m, which is large enough for humans to lie down comfortably.
by RBG Kew
Bolivian wild species are said to grow in
by RBG Kew
Although it blooms several times a year, each flower only blooms once at a time, only two nights. The color will gradually change from white to pink.
by RBG Kew
A paper written by a research team such as Magdalena was published in July 2022, but the Kew Bolt Garden has been cultivating 'Victoria boliviana' in a greenhouse for the past four years without labeling. Plant artist and co-author Lucy Smith asked, 'How many customers have asked why this water lily is so different from the others. But I said,'Well, none of these. I have to say, 'I think it's similar.' 'This wonderful secret was actually hidden in the visible.'
It was also found that the water lily specimen collected by the Kew Boliviana in Bolivia in 1845 was actually 'Victoria boliviana'. Since the existence of 'Victoria boliviana' was not known so far, the specimen was thought to be the Victoria Amazonica for 177 years.
Magdalena says the discovery of 'Victoria boliviana' is botanically surprising. Approximately 2000 species of plants are certified as new species annually around the world, but it is rare to find new species as large as 'Victoria boliviana'. 'It's a clear indication that we don't know anything about nature in the end,' he said.
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