Scientists Named a New Species of Plants in Honor of Lionel Messi
A new plant species discovered in the Peruvian Andes has been named Salvia messii in honor of Lionel Messi.
A new species of plant with celestial-blue flowers discovered in the Peruvian Andes has been named 'salvia messii', in honor of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi.
The plant grows on rocky slopes in central Peru and is distinguished by its white and light blue flowers, like the jersey of the Argentina national team.
The discovery of this plant and its name were presented in the scientific journal Phytotaxa, according to a statement from the Natural History Museum of the National University of San Marcos (UNMSM).
The plant grows at 2,000 to 2,400 meters above sea level on various rocky slopes in the Lima and Ica regions, on Peru's central coast.
The 'salvia messii' belongs to the Lamiaceae family, a botanical group that includes species such as basil, mint, rosemary and common sage.
The research team made up of Paúl Gonzáles, a specialist attached to the UNMSM Natural History Museum in Peru; Rolando Uría, an independent researcher based in Argentina, and Jean Capcha Ramos, a representative of the Huarango Nature organization in Peru, carried out the field exploration between 2023 and 2025.
The specialists collected fresh samples and measured the mature flowers in the laboratory to record the plant's morphological variation
With that study, the experts determined that their finding corresponds to an aromatic shrub that grows up to one and a half meters; the corolla has a white tube and a light blue upper lip, plus fuchsia tones in its bracts (which protect the developing flower).
The 'salvia messii' grows on stony slopes alongside cacti and shrubs that usually inhabit the Andes, and due to these conditions it was classified in the "endangered" category, because it is exposed to forest fires, such as those currently affecting several Andean regions in Peru, road construction and droughts.
The discovery of 'salvia messii' also provides new evidence about the value of the ecotonal scrublands surrounding the relict forests of the western Andes, said the UNMSM Natural History Museum.
These environments, less studied than the forests themselves, could constitute important centers of endemism and plant diversification, the source specified.
In this sense, the authors highlight the need to expand botanical exploration and consider these scrublands in Peruvian biodiversity conservation strategies.
This plant species joins other records that have paid tribute to the famous Argentine footballer, such as the fungus 'Cercopemyces messii', found in Salta (Argentina); the Patagonian spider 'Acanthogonatus messii', the 'Puna Liolaemus messii' lizard, the prehistoric condor 'Vultur messii' and the prehistoric brachiopod 'Discinisca messii'. EFE
Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini
Inter Miami CF
