Orchid watercolors: Art and science by Rafael Lucas Rodríguez at the University of Costa Rica. Transcription of the texts of the orchid watercolors by Rafael Lucas Rodríguez Caballero, which belong to the University of Costa Rica

Abstract

Introduction: Rafael L. Rodríguez-Caballero was a Costa Rican botanist, artist, and humanist who painted more than 1000 orchid watercolors. Of these paintings 143 were published in 1986 and now they belong to the University of Costa Rica (UCR).

Objetive: The objective of this writing was to recover and edit the information noted on the back of the orchid watercolors by Rafael Lucas Rodríguez Caballero.

Methods: The present work reproduces, orders, and comments Rodríguez’s jottings on the back side of 147 watercolors held by the UCR, 12 of them are here illustrated.

Results: More than 20 years (1958-1980) of diverse data written by Rodríguez Caballero are here compiled. Six of the watercolors at the UCR are still unpublished. In addition, at least 30 bibliographic references cited on the watercolors back-side were identified.

Conclusions: Some species of orchids that Rodríguez Caballero painted are so rare in nature that hardly anyone has seen them again. The information in these illustrations is historically and biologically relevant to the conservation of these orchid species.