Lionel Messi got a botanical tribute after a recently discovered plant species has led a flower named after the Argentina’s biggest football superstar in modern era. Named as Salvia messii in honor of Messi, the plant is a native to the Andes mountain range of central and southern Peru.
In fact, is an endangered species because of “restricted distribution” according to the October edition of botany journal Phytotaxa. The extra “i” in the name of the plant indicated the possession under whom the species is named. Salvia messii can be called as “Messi’s sage”.
Salvia messii grows on rocky, arid slopes between 2000 and 2400 metres above sea level. The species belongs to the mint family Lamiaceae, which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. It grows a maximum of approximately 1.5 metres tall. The pale blue and white colours of the plant resemble Argentina’s national colours.
But this is not the first species named after Messi. Based on a TOI report, Messi got into back in May 24 as the footballer with most species named after him – five at that time. Extending that list is Salvia messii, the sixth one to belong to Messi.
Before Salvia messii, had a species named after him among the living animals, prehistoric fossils and fungi.
Not just Messi, but legends like Pele and Maradona also feature in the list of footballs who have entered scientific classification. name is associated with four species.
However, a fairy wasp Anaphes maradonae, was found to be the same as an earlier-named wasp and therefore no longer exist. Maradona’s name is associated with a fossil damselfly, a parasitic fluke and a sea snail.
Back in 2009 December, as many as 12 footballers of Brazil’s 1958 World Cup-winning team, found their names associated to microcaddisfly species, including that of . The species named after Pele is Neotrichia pelei.
Messi left a legacy behind, with 208 appearances for Argentina and finished with 126 goals, 71 assists and six official titles, which include a World Cup, a Finalissima and two Copa America titles. The Argentine forward retired from international football against Benin in front of his home crowd.
The retirement of Messi came just a few months after the detch of his father Jorge Messi in August.
