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Coverage dated October 8, 2026 to October 9, 2026

Chance Instagram sighting leads to discovery of rare giant water lily in Colombia

Headline from Phys

A new paper published in the journal Phytotaxa describes a new species in the genus Victoria, the Colombian giant water lily (Victoria colombiana). With only three other known species in the genus, V. colombiana joins the pantheon of nature's giants with pads measuring up to 2 meters (6.

Phys's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

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2 articles, oldest first.

  1. Phys

    Chance Instagram sighting leads to discovery of rare giant water lily in Colombia (opens Phys)

    Published

    Phys's feed description

    A new paper published in the journal Phytotaxa describes a new species in the genus Victoria, the Colombian giant water lily (Victoria colombiana). With only three other known species in the genus, V. colombiana joins the pantheon of nature's giants with pads measuring up to 2 meters (6.

  2. Mongabay

    An Instafamous giant water lily is confirmed as a new species — and critically endangered (opens Mongabay)

    Published

    Mongabay's feed description

    A chance sighting of photos on Instagram, then a five-day expedition, including a last-minute, late-night detour in a Colombian rainforest — that’s what it took for researchers to confirm a new-to-science species of giant water lily.