Scientists have named a newly identified plant species in Peru after Argentine football star Lionel Messi, with the species classified as endangered due to threats from climate change and forest fires.
The plant, named Salvia messii, is found in the Andes mountains of central and southern Peru. According to The Athletic, its light blue and white flowers resemble the colours of Argentina’s national football team jersey.
The discovery was documented in a study published in the October 2026 edition of the scientific journal Phytotaxa, titled “A remarkable new Salvia (Lamiaceae) from the ecotonal vegetation surrounding the western Andean relict forests of Peru”.
Plant Grows on Rocky Mountain Slopes
Salvia messii belongs to the mint family and can grow to about 1.5 metres tall. It thrives on rocky, dry mountain slopes at elevations between 2,000 and 2,400 metres above sea level.
Researchers identified climate change and forest fires as major threats to the plant’s survival, leading to its classification as an endangered species.
The research was led by Paúl Gonzáles of the Natural History Museum of the National University of San Marcos, alongside Argentine researcher Rolando Uría and biologist Jean Capcha Ramos of Huarango Nature.
The species’ scientific name follows botanical naming conventions, which use the suffix “i” to indicate that a plant has been named in honour of a person.
