Scientists have formally described Salvia messii, an Endangered shrub from Peru’s central and southern Andes, and named it after Lionel Messi. Its white and light-blue flowers recall Argentina’s national colors and the shirt Messi wore while representing the country.
What is the plant named after Lionel Messi?
Salvia messii is a newly recognized species in the mint family, Lamiaceae. Paúl Gonzáles, Rolando Uría and Jean Capcha-Ramos published its formal description in Phytotaxa on 2 October 2026, in volume 777, issue 3, pages 272–282. The paper’s DOI is 10.11646/phytotaxa.777.3.5.
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The species is endemic to Peru, meaning it is known naturally only from that country. Researchers place it in ecotonal shrublands around western Andean relict forests—transition zones that the authors describe as an overlooked centre of plant endemism and diversification.
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The naming is a visual tribute rather than a claim about the plant’s biology. Salvia messii produces white and light-blue flowers, colors associated with Argentina and with the national-team shirt worn by Messi. That resemblance inspired the specific epithet messii.
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- Taxonomy, Glossary, Plant Identification
Scientific names can commemorate people for many reasons, including contributions to science, public service or cultural significance. In this case, the authors used the flower’s colors to connect a distinctive Peruvian species with one of Argentina’s best-known figures.
Where does Salvia messii grow?
The known range lies in the central and southern Peruvian Andes, in western Andean landscapes. Field reports place collections at approximately 2,000–2,400 metres above sea level in six localities across the departments of Lima and Ica.
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Its habitat is not simply described as generic highland vegetation. The plant occurs in shrublands bordering relict forests, where ecological conditions change over short distances. Such transition habitats can support narrowly distributed species, but their fragmented nature can also make populations vulnerable to disturbance.
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The team carried out field explorations from 2023 through 2025. Recognition of a new species requires more than finding an unusual-looking plant, so the researchers combined field observations, detailed floral study and herbarium comparisons.
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- Field exploration: Researchers collected and documented plants in six Peruvian localities at roughly 2,000–2,400 metres.
- Microscopy: They examined more than ten mature flowers to record characteristics that may not be visible in ordinary field photographs.
- Specimen comparison: The team compared the material with collections held in national and international herbaria.
- Formal description: Those observations and comparisons were assembled into the nomenclatural description published in Phytotaxa.
This process distinguishes a formally described species from an informal sighting or a plant identified only by resemblance. Herbarium comparisons are especially important in a large genus such as Salvia, where related species can share broad floral or leaf traits.
What does the Messi plant look like?
The best-established visual feature in the available description is its white and light-blue flowers. The plant itself is an Andean shrub adapted to the shrubland environment around western Andean relict forests. The published account is a taxonomic description, not a horticultural growing guide, so it does not establish that the species is commercially available or suitable for gardens.
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Is Salvia messii endangered?
Yes. The authors assess Salvia messii as Endangered because its known distribution is restricted and its habitat faces several recurring pressures:
- Recurrent fires can burn shrubland and damage or eliminate small populations.
- Road construction can remove habitat and divide previously connected areas.
- Drought adds water stress in an already localized Andean environment.
An Endangered assessment reflects the species’ documented range and threats; it does not mean that every individual plant has been counted or that its full distribution is known. Continued surveys could refine the range, but the currently known localities are limited enough to justify concern.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why naming the species matters for conservation
A scientific name makes a species visible in research, conservation planning and environmental assessments. Without a formal description, records from different locations can be difficult to connect, and a plant may be overlooked when land-use decisions are made.
Dr Martin Cheek, a senior research leader at Kew, expressed the practical principle this way: “it is difficult to protect what we do not know, understand and have a scientific name for.” For Salvia messii, the name provides a reference point for future surveys, habitat monitoring and evaluation of the fires, roads and drought affecting its range.
Key facts at a glance
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Salvia messii |
| Plant family | Lamiaceae, the mint family |
| Native range | Central and southern Andes of Peru |
| Recorded setting | Ecotonal shrublands around western Andean relict forests |
| Collection elevation | Approximately 2,000–2,400 metres |
| Known localities | Six sites in the departments of Lima and Ica |
| Flower colors | White and light blue |
| Formal publication | Phytotaxa, 2 October 2026, 777(3): 272–282 |
| Conservation assessment | Endangered |
| Primary threats identified | Recurrent fires, road construction and drought |
Who discovered the new Peruvian flower?
The formal description was authored by Paúl Gonzáles, Rolando Uría and Jean Capcha-Ramos. Their work combined explorations conducted between 2023 and 2025 with microscopy of mature flowers and comparisons against national and international herbarium collections. Those steps provided the evidence needed to recognize and publish Salvia messii as a separate species.
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