Which Amazon Rainforest plant has the scientific name Victoria amazonica?

The Amazon Rainforest plant with the scientific name Victoria amazonica is the giant water lily.

Victoria amazonica is a large aquatic plant native to the shallow waters and seasonally flooded habitats of the Amazon Basin. Its circular floating leaves can grow to several metres across and have a strong, upturned rim supported by a network of veins beneath the surface.

The flowers open at night and can change color as they mature. They are also thermogenic, meaning they produce heat that may help attract pollinators such as beetles. The plant was named Victoria regia in the nineteenth century in honor of Queen Victoria before its accepted scientific name changed.

The giant water lily is often confused with other large water lilies, but Victoria amazonica is specifically the Amazonian species. Its dramatic leaves are among the best-known botanical symbols of the basin.