Newly Discovered Rare Flowering Plant Species Named After Lisa of BLACKPINK

While many are still having an earworm with BLACKPINK Jisoo’s debut solo single titled “Flower,” a different member of the popular K-Pop group has recently been named after an actual flower. An endangered one at that.

Researchers from Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Science have discovered a rare flowering plant species in the province of Narathiwat and named it after Lisa, or Lalisa Manoban, the Thai member of the global South Korean group.

The species is a climbing plant with fragrant flowers belonging to the Annonaceae family of trees, shrubs, and lianas. It was named “Bunga Lisa,” with the scientific name Friesodielsia lalisae Damth., Baka & Chaowasku. The term “bunga” is a poetic Thai word borrowed from Malay and Indonesian that means flower, according to a report by The Nation.

The research team’s report noted that Lisa was a great inspiration to Anissara Damthongdee during her PhD studies. Other members of the team are assistant professor Tanawat Chaowasku and Abdulromea Baka of the Plant Diversity group.

Sadly, only a pair of Bunga Lisa was found in the secondary forests, prompting the researchers to designate it as critically endangered.