New giant waterlily and ‘botanical wonder of the world’ discovered

It is the first discovery of a new giant waterlily in more than a century and now holds the record for the largest in the world

Horticulturist Carlos Magdalena examines the leaves of a new species of giant waterlily, Victoria boliviana, at Royal Botanic Gardens, in Kew, Richmond, Surrey. The plant which has been sitting in Kew's Herbarium for 177 years but a team of Kew experts spearheaded by have now revealed it to be new to science — the first giant waterlily discovery in more than a century. Pictures: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

A giant waterlily held in Kew’s Botanic Gardens for 177 years has been revealed as a species new to science and “one of the botanical wonders of the world”.

The famous giant waterlily, genus Victoria, was named after Queen Victoria in 1852, and was believed to include two different species. But scientists have confirmed the massive plant in Kew is a third type.