Climate

An Instafamous giant water lily is confirmed as a new species — and critically endangered

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 09/10/2026, 10:39:24 UTC.

Briefings

Researchers confirmed a new giant water lily species in Colombia's Inírida River after a 2021 sighting of photos by Jeremiah Harris, who previously misidentified the plant as Victoria amazonica. A five-day expedition led by Carlos Magdalena and colleagues, including Nilo Rodríguez, Jaime Hernández, and Gustavo Melo, utilized satellite imagery to verify the presence of large, circular leaves and floating pads. The plant was found to be critically endangered, with the discovery occurring in 2021 and the expedition concluding in 2026. The study highlights the species' massive size, capable of being spotted from space, and notes that the Inírida River is a tributary of the Orinoco Basin.

Key points

• Researchers confirmed a new giant water lily species in Colombia's Inírida River after a 2021 sighting of photos by Jeremiah Harris, who previously misidentified the plant as Victoria amazonica.
• A five-day expedition led by Carlos Magdalena and colleagues, including Nilo Rodríguez, Jaime Hernández, and Gustavo Melo, utilized satellite imagery to verify the presence of large, circular leaves and floating pads.

Context and limitations

Evidence is limited to a 2021 sighting and a 2026 expedition; satellite imagery was used for verification but specific spatial coordinates are not provided.

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