Botanists identify Salvia messii in Peru at elevations above 2,000 meters
A newly described shrub features light blue and white petals and produces essential oils, but faces extinction risks in high-altitude habitats.
An international research team identified a new plant species in the Peruvian Andes, naming it Salvia messii in honor of footballer Lionel Messi, according to INVDES 
invdes.com.mxINVDESinvdes.com.mxOpen source ↗. The botanical findings were published in the specialized scientific journal Phytotaxa. Field observations confirmed that the specimens grow wild in high-altitude mountain scrublands at elevations exceeding 2,000 meters above sea level invdes.com.mxINVDESinvdes.com.mxOpen source ↗.
Morphological characteristics and biochemistry
The plant is a robust shrub that reaches a height close to a meter and a half, classified within the Lamiaceae family and the genus Salvia invdes.com.mxINVDESinvdes.com.mxOpen source ↗. The specific name reflects the visual morphology of the flower, which displays a combination of light blue and white shades on its petals invdes.com.mxINVDESinvdes.com.mxOpen source ↗. In accordance with international rules of botanical nomenclature, scientists applied the Latin suffix -ii to commemorate the Argentine national team captain invdes.com.mxINVDESinvdes.com.mxOpen source ↗.
Beyond its visual traits, Salvia messii contains volatile organic compounds and specialized metabolites invdes.com.mxINVDESinvdes.com.mxOpen source ↗. Researchers documented the presence of essential oils across the stems and leaves, conferring distinctive aromatic properties invdes.com.mxINVDESinvdes.com.mxOpen source ↗. Chemical analyses also confirmed the presence of flavonoids, which are secondary plant metabolites noted for antioxidant and antiseptic characteristics invdes.com.mxINVDESinvdes.com.mxOpen source ↗.
Distribution and conservation status
The geographical range of the newly identified species is restricted exclusively to narrow microclimates within Peruvian mountain scrub ecosystems invdes.com.mxINVDESinvdes.com.mxOpen source ↗. The plants inhabit isolated regions where environmental conditions sustain limited native populations invdes.com.mxINVDESinvdes.com.mxOpen source ↗.
Due to this narrow distribution and increasing anthropogenic and environmental pressures on the habitat, authors cataloged the species under an threatened extinction status invdes.com.mxINVDESinvdes.com.mxOpen source ↗. Botanists noted that immediate conservation measures are required to prevent habitat loss and safeguard existing populations from disappearing invdes.com.mxINVDESinvdes.com.mxOpen source ↗.
