Newly Discovered Andean Plant Species Named After Lionel Messi

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Researchers have named a newly discovered plant species native to the Andes mountains of Peru after Lionel Messi, the former Argentina national team captain and Inter Miami player, with the species assigned the scientific name Salvia messii, meaning Messi's plant under international botanical naming conventions, the Athletic reported.

The plant, which produces flowers in light blue and white, has been placed on the endangered species list, making the discovery both a botanical milestone and a conservation concern.

The Plant and Its Colors

The light blue and white flowers of Salvia messii bear a striking resemblance to the colors of Argentina's national football shirt, the same jersey Messi wore when leading Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title in Qatar and to two Copa América championship victories. The color connection between the newly named plant and the Argentine national team gave researchers an additional reason to honor the footballer whose name has become synonymous with Argentine football identity.

Salvia messii belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae, and grows at altitudes of between 2,000 and 2,400 meters above sea level on the dry and rocky slopes of the Andes mountain range in central and southern Peru. The plant reaches approximately one and a half meters in height and has demonstrated the ability to adapt to difficult climatic conditions, thriving in the arid highland terrain where few plants can establish themselves at such elevations.

The Naming Convention

The scientific name Salvia messii was chosen in accordance with international botanical nomenclature rules. Under those rules, species names ending in the suffix ii when derived from a person's name indicate that the species is named in honor of that individual. The name Salvia messii therefore formally and permanently associates the newly discovered Peruvian endemic plant with Lionel Messi in the international scientific record.

The plant joins a long tradition of newly discovered species being named after cultural, scientific, and sporting figures as a way of drawing public attention to biodiversity and the importance of conservation in threatened ecosystems. The endangered status of Salvia messii underlines the urgency of documenting and protecting the Andean flora of Peru, where habitat loss and climate change are placing increasing pressure on high-altitude plant communities.