Brief
New Peruvian flower named Salvia messii in honour of Lionel Messi
Botanists in Peru and Argentina have described Salvia messii, an endangered mint‑family plant with blue‑white flowers, naming it after the Argentine legend.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Botanists from Peru and Argentina have described a new mint‑family species, Salvia messii, naming it after football icon Lionel Messi, Gulf News reported.
What happened
The plant grows on rocky slopes in the Andes of Peru at 2,000‑2,400 metres altitude, reaching up to 1.5 metres tall and producing light‑blue and white blossoms that echo the colours of Messi’s Argentina jersey.
What the reports add
The discovery was published in the journal Phytotaxa, and researchers classified the species as endangered because of its limited distribution and environmental threats.
What was said
The article notes Messi has recently retired from international football, continues to play for Inter Miami, and recently earned an honorary doctorate from the University of Buenos Aires.
Key facts
- A new plant species Salvia messii was named after Lionel Messi. (gulfnews.com)
- The species is found in the Andes of Peru at 2,000‑2,400 m altitude. (gulfnews.com)
- Researchers classified the plant as endangered. (gulfnews.com)
Sources
- [1] gulfnews.com — originally reported as “Lionel Messi now has a flower named after him, and the reason is beautiful”
