Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology
type: channel
description: LANKESTERIANA, International Journal on Orchidology, is an international scientific journal published by the Lankester Botanical Garden Research Center – University of Costa Rica. The journal is globally recognized for its specialization and contributions to the knowledge of the orchid family. In addition to research articles, LANKESTERIANA is dedicated to facilitating scholarly communication and exchange by publishing a comprehensive array of content, including book reviews, checklists, comments, conference proceedings, correspondence, corrigenda, obituaries, opinions, reviews, and special issue contributions. LANKESTERIANA maintains rigorous academic standards as a peer-reviewed journal, ensuring that only the highest quality research articles are published. Through this rigorous review process, the journal maintains its reputation for excellence and reliability, providing readers with access to credible, authoritative scientific information on orchids. Furthermore, LANKESTERIANA values contributions from authors worldwide, with English as the official language of the journal. Through Early View, LANKESTERIANA is committed to reducing the time to effective publication of scientific, peer-reviewed papers, for the benefit of both authors and the journal's readers. The papers in this section of Lankesteriana receive an individual DOI and are published online as soon as the editorial process is concluded positively. They represent early views of the final papers exactly as they will appear in the hard-printed, complete issue of the journal. The effective date of publication of each paper is established by the date of its first publication online, which is recorded on the front page of the paper, both in its online and hard-printed versions. The printed version of LANKESTERIANA is published periodically in volumes by the Lankester Botanical Garden, University of Costa Rica. Each volume is made up of three issues published in April (covers the period from January to Apr…
publisher: Universidad de Costa Rica
language: en
publication name: Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology
issn: 1409-3871
copyright: According to the Open Access policy promoted by the University of Costa Rica, all the papers published by Lankesteriana are licensed under the Creative Commons copyright and can be downloaded free of charge. The journal holds copyright and publishing rights under the CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 CR license. Before the publication of the materials submitted by the author(s) in LANKESTERIANA, the author(s) hereby assign all rights in the article to the Lankester Botanical Garden.
items: Evidence of artificial selection: are orchids in cultivation an effective ex situ conservation strategy?
items: INDEX OF SCIENTIFIC REVIEWERS, LANKESTERIANA VOL. 21–22, 2021–2022
items: new species of Andinia (Pleurothallidinae) from Peru and an updated phylogenetic analysis of the genus with emphasis on subgenus Aenigma
items: Size dependent allocation to vegetative and reproductive organs of the orchid Lankesterella ceracifolia (Spiranthinae)
items: Spread of the African spotted orchid Oeceoclades maculata in the New World
items: small-flowered Cyrtochilum (Oncidiinae) from Colombia
items: Voucher specimens matter! Confirmation of Lecanorchis multiflora (Vanilloideae) in the tropical rainforest of the Philippines with notes on its habitat and conservation status
items: INDEX OF TAXONOMIC NOVELTIES, LANKESTERIANA VOL. 21–22, 2021–2022
items: Orchids of the Southern Cone (1830–2000) – Part I Claude Gay’s physical and political history of Chile
items: Diversity and conservation of orchids in San Antonio del Tequendama, Cundinamarca, Colombia
items: New evidence corroborates the presence of Solenidium lunatum (Oncidiinae) in Colombia
items: Recruitment bottleneck in aphyllous vanilla seedlings facing drought conditions
items: A new species of Pleurothallis (Pleurothallidinae) from the P. talpinaria complex, with notes on comparative floral morphology and pollination ecology
items: First naturalization of the orchid Cymbidium aloifolium, a population found in southern Florida
items: A tale of two women: The Caribbean orchid portraits of Louise Auguste von Panhuys (1763–1844) and Nancy Anne Kingsbury Wollstonecraft (1791–1828)
items: A new species of Chloraea (Chloraeinae)
items: In vitro seed propagation constraints of Mexican lady’s slipper orchid, Pichouaxtle, Cypripedium irapeanum.
items: Overlooked for almost 200 years: clarification of Vanilla guianensis (Orchidaceae), a prior name for V. hostmannii, and the reinstatement of V. acuta
items: Darwin’s prescient letter regarding orchid mycorrhiza
items: Gastrochilus pechei (Orchidaceae), a new addition to the flora of India

Evidence of artificial selection: are orchids in cultivation an effective ex situ conservation strategy?
type: item
description: Artificial selection is the process by which humans change morphological and genetic characteristics of species through selection of “favored” characters. Although the gray literature suggests the process is occurring in orchids held in ex situ collections, there is limited evidence of this in the scientific literature. There is a perspective among growers that species (not hybrids) held in ex situ collections are potential sources of material for use in in situ re-establishment, however, this assumes that there has not been any artificial selection for morphological characters, or functional traits while grown and propagated ex situ. Here we evaluate if plants grown in ex situ collections show changes in morphological characters across time and if the range of character size is within the range from in situ populations. We evaluated plants from the American Orchid Society database from nine genera and 54 species. We noted that 35% of characters evaluated had evidence of significant change across time. Moreover, for most species in ex situ the evaluated characters were frequently (95%) outside the range of plants of natural populations based on species descriptions. If variation in size of ex situ collections as compared to in situ plants is genetically based, it is possible that these would be functionally maladaptive if re-introduced to their natural environment. Protocols for ex situ conservation programs need to focus on the morphological, biochemical, and ecological interactions and genetic diversity that would render the re-introduction of ex situ to their natural environment to maximize the likelihood of effective re-establishment. Consequently, species which are awarded recognition at orchid shows may potentially be inappropriate for plants within an in situ reintroduction conservation program.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: American Orchid Society
  topic: keywords
subject: evolution
  topic: keywords
subject: in situ conservation
  topic: keywords
subject: morphological variation
  topic: keywords
subject: natural selection
  topic: keywords
subject: phenotypic selection
  topic: keywords
creator: Raymond L. Tremblay
creator: Paola A. Alicea-Roman
creator: Abimelys Anaya-Reyes
creator: Sean Duclerc-Rodas
creator: Ivanellys Medina-Tirado
rights: Copyright (c) 2022 Lankester Botanical Garden, University of Costa Rica https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2022-12-14
publication date: 2022-12-14
doi: 10.15517/lank.v22i3.53443

INDEX OF SCIENTIFIC REVIEWERS, LANKESTERIANA VOL. 21–22, 2021–2022
type: item
description: The Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editors, Editorial Committee, Editorial Board, and Editorial staff of LANKESTERIANA acknowledge the reviewers listed below for their willing cooperation. It is greatly appreciated that they have generously invested their time and competence in providing valuable comments and advice, for the benefit of the authors, the editorial staff, and the readers of LANKESTERIANA
subject: Index
  topic: section
creator: Noelia Belfort-Oconitrillo
rights: Copyright (c) 2022 Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2022-12-17
publication date: 2022-12-17
doi: 10.15517/lank.v22i3.53489

new species of Andinia (Pleurothallidinae) from Peru and an updated phylogenetic analysis of the genus with emphasis on subgenus Aenigma
type: item
description: A new species, Andinia peruviana, from Amazonas department, Peru, is described and illustrated. Updated phylogenetic analyses of nuclear internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) sequences in this study re-affirm the monophyletic nature of Andinia sensu lato and further support the previously proposed circumscription which incorporated genera Lueranthos, Masdevalliantha, Neooreophilus, and Xenosia. Andinia subgenus Aenigma was strongly supported in all analyses. The new species was determined phylogenetically to belong to subgenus Aenigma, along with A. barbata, A. dalstroemii, A. hirtzii, A. pogonion, A. schizopogon and A. uchucayensis. The phylogenetically-confirmed representatives of subgenus Aenigma are illustrated with drawings and photographs, and their geographic distribution is discussed. The updated phylogenetic analyses also show the corrected phylogenetic positions of A. vestigipetala, as the sole representative of the clade corresponding to subgenus Minuscula, and A. trimytera, as a member of the clade corresponding to subgenus Andinia.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Aenigma species
  topic: keywords
subject: endemic species
  topic: keywords
subject: montane forests
  topic: keywords
subject: neotropics
  topic: keywords
subject: phylogeny
  topic: keywords
subject: taxonomy
  topic: keywords
creator: Luis Ocupa-Horna
creator: Sebastián Vieira-Uribe
creator: Raven Ward
creator: Caroline Brose
creator: Mark Wilson
rights: Copyright (c) 2022 Lankester Botanical Garden, University of Costa Rica https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2022-12-02
publication date: 2022-12-02
starting page: 241
ending page: 262
doi: 10.15517/lank.v22i3.53319

Size dependent allocation to vegetative and reproductive organs of the orchid Lankesterella ceracifolia (Spiranthinae)
type: item
description: How functional organ traits vary with increasing plant size reveals the strategies of plants to acquire, store and utilize resources that ensure vegetative growth and reproduction. Plant size can influence fitness; thus, the relationships of organ traits should be evaluated together with reproductive allocation, but this is rarely the case. The relationship among plant size, functional organ traits (number and size of roots, leaves and flowers, and scape size), and dry mass partitioning was analyzed intraspecifically using 35 reproductive individuals of the epiphytic orchid Lankesterella ceracifolia. The relationships between vegetative and reproductive organ traits were evaluated using different regression models. Size-dependent allocation to reproduction was evaluated through reproductive versus vegetative (RV) regressions for the entire inflorescence and separately for scape and flowers. The four regression models included simple (slope only), linear (slope and intercept), allometric (without intercept), and non-linear (allometric with intercept), were fitted to RV and compared via a log likelihood-ratio test. Preferential allocation to leaves instead of roots influenced how rosette frontal area changed with increasing plant size. Flower dry mass represented 70% of the inflorescence dry mass, an unusual result as scape dry mass generally represents most of the reproductive structure in plants. The allometric model was suitable for the entire inflorescence or only the scape, while the isometric model was best for flowers. Dry mass investment in the scape influenced the final reproductive allometry found for the orchid L. ceracifolia.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: allocation
  topic: keywords
subject: Cranichideae
  topic: keywords
subject: epiphyte
  topic: keywords
subject: life history
  topic: keywords
subject: plant allometry
  topic: keywords
subject: reproductive strategy
  topic: keywords
subject: size threshold
  topic: keywords
creator: André Mantovani
rights: Copyright (c) 2022 Lankester Botanical Garden, University of Costa Rica https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2022-11-16
publication date: 2022-11-16
starting page: 225
ending page: 240
doi: 10.15517/lank.v22i3.53115

Spread of the African spotted orchid Oeceoclades maculata in the New World
type: item
description: Oeceoclades maculata (Lindl.) Lindl. (= Eulophia maculata (Lindl.) Rchb.f.) has a broad native range across tropical Africa and Madagascar. Here, we document the spread of O. maculata in the New World, using published records, herbarium specimens, photographs posted online, and our own collections. The earliest known New World record of O. maculata is from Brazil dating to before 1790. Until 1962, O. maculata was known in the New World only from South America. Since then, this species has spread north through Central America into Mexico and across the West Indies to Florida and the Bahamas. It was first found in Florida in 1974, and until 1994 all Florida records of O. maculata were restricted to Miami-Dade County (except one record of greenhouse escapees in Gainesville). Here, we document O. maculata records from the following geographic areas in the New World: 11 South American countries (all except Chile and Uruguay), all 7 Central American countries, Mexico, 22 West Indian island-groups, and Florida. We also document records from 31 counties in peninsular Florida. Oeceoclades maculata has now been recorded in the New World from northeastern Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (~28.5°S) and Estancia Santa Teresa, Corrientes, Argentina (28.0°S) in the south, to Gainesville (29.7°N) and Palm Coast, Florida (29.6°N) in the north. A report of O. maculata populations in Gainesville dying out after a hard frost suggests that this species may have reached its northern outdoor limit in peninsular Florida. Although its impact on native species in the New World appears to be minor, there are efforts to eradicate O. maculata in some natural areas.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: invasive species
  topic: keywords
subject: Eulophia maculata
  topic: keywords
subject: Oeceoclades
  topic: keywords
subject: Orchidaceae
  topic: keywords
creator: Sarah K. Wetterer
creator: James K. Wetterer
rights: Copyright (c) 2022 Lankester Botanical Garden, University of Costa Rica https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2022-11-11
publication date: 2022-11-11
starting page: 215
ending page: 224
doi: 10.15517/lank.v22i3.53113

small-flowered Cyrtochilum (Oncidiinae) from Colombia
type: item
description: A new species of Cyrtochilum from the Cordillera Oriental range in the department of Cundinamarca, Colombia, is described, illustrated, and compared with C. suarezii and C. parviflorum. The new species is easily distinguished by its broadly elliptic to sub–rhomboid lip with two short rounded simple calli on the lip, ornamented with short papillae at the base.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Gachetá
  topic: keywords
subject: new species
  topic: keywords
subject: Orchidaceae
  topic: keywords
subject: taxonomy
  topic: keywords
creator: Juan Camilo Ordóñez-Blanco
creator: Edicson Parra-Sánchez
rights: Copyright (c) 2022 Lankester Botanical Garden, University of Costa Rica https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2022-11-01
publication date: 2022-11-01
starting page: 207
ending page: 214
doi: 10.15517/lank.v22i3.52974

Voucher specimens matter! Confirmation of Lecanorchis multiflora (Vanilloideae) in the tropical rainforest of the Philippines with notes on its habitat and conservation status
type: item
description: Lecanorchis multiflora (Orchidaceae) was recently collected in Mt. Timolan Protected Landscape, province of Zamboanga del Sur, in the Philippine archipelago. This is the first record of the species with a voucher specimen in the Philippines. A description based on our recent collection, colour photographs to aid identification, geographic distribution information, ecology, phenology, and IUCN conservation assessment are provided below.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Biodiversity
  topic: keywords
subject: Mindanao
  topic: keywords
subject: Philippine Orchidaceae
  topic: keywords
subject: Vanilleae
  topic: keywords
subject: Zamboanga Peninsula
  topic: keywords
creator: Mark Arcebal K. Naive
creator: Grecebio Jonathan D. Alejandro
creator: Kenji Suetsugu
rights: Copyright (c) 2022 Lankester Botanical Garden, University of Costa Rica https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2022-09-22
publication date: 2022-09-22
starting page: 175
ending page: 179
doi: 10.15517/lank.v22i3.52532

INDEX OF TAXONOMIC NOVELTIES, LANKESTERIANA VOL. 21–22, 2021–2022
type: item
description: INDEX OF TAXONOMIC NOVELTIES, LANKESTERIANA VOL. 21–22, 2021–2022
subject: Index
  topic: section
creator: Noelia Belfort-Oconitrillo
rights: Copyright (c) 2022 Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2022-12-16
publication date: 2022-12-16
doi: 10.15517/lank.v22i3.53486

Orchids of the Southern Cone (1830–2000) – Part I Claude Gay’s physical and political history of Chile
type: item
description: The life and works of French botanist Claude (Claudio) Gay (1800–1873) are presented, with special consideration to Orchidaceae. This work aims to bring to light the life of a brilliant scientist who dedicated his professional life to the study of Chile’s natural history and his seldom-mentioned monumental work that contains the first complete orchid flora of Chile. The most important modern and contemporary bibliographical sources have been consulted, as well as Gay’s original publications. Claude (Claudio) arrived in Chile in 1828 and lived in the country until 1842, engaged by the Chilean government to conduct a scientific survey of the country. He traveled across the country collecting objects of natural history which became the foundation stone of the Cabinet of Natural History, the precursor of Chile’s National Museum of Natural History. Gay returned to France in 1842 and, commissioned by the Chilean Minister of the Interior, published his Historia física y política de Chile, a monumental work in 30 volumes that were published between 1844 and 1871. Eight volumes, published in Paris between 1845 and 1852, containing 3767 species of plants, were dedicated to botany. Following the incomplete works of Juan Ignacio Molina’s Saggio sulla Storia Naturale del Chili (1782) and Ruiz and Pavon’s Flora Peruvianae et Chilensis (1789–1803) it was the first attempt to produce a complete flora of Chile. A total of 49 species of Orchidaceae were described and partly illustrated, a remarkable achievement if we consider that by the turn of the 21st century, a total of orchids was only 52 had been reported for Chile. Claudio Gay is considered the first recorder of the country’s history and the founder of modern natural science in republican Chile.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: flora of Chile
  topic: keywords
subject: history
  topic: keywords
subject: modern science
  topic: keywords
subject: Orchidaceae
  topic: keywords
creator: Carlos Ossenbach
rights: Copyright (c) 2022 Lankester Botanical Garden, University of Costa Rica https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2022-10-07
publication date: 2022-10-07
starting page: 181
ending page: 206
doi: 10.15517/lankesteriana.v22i3.52665

Diversity and conservation of orchids in San Antonio del Tequendama, Cundinamarca, Colombia
type: item
description: The municipality of San Antonio del Tequendama, Cundinamarca, Colombia, harbours remnants of cloud forests that support a rich diversity of orchids, primarily threatened by habitat loss. This study aims to guide conservation efforts through fieldwork and herbarium records, focused on orchid spatial distribution. The study area covers 82 km², situated at elevations between 1090 and 2700 meters. We conducted 31 field trips between 2017 and 2019. A total of 151 species from 54 genera were documented, offering the most comprehensive list of orchid species recorded in the region, accounting for 3.51% of Colombia’s orchid species. The most diverse genera were Epidendrum (23 spp.), Maxillaria (13 spp.), Stelis (10 spp.), and Cyrtochilum (10 spp.). Thirty genera (19.86%) were represented by only one species. Six threatened species were identified: Cattleya trianae and Masdevallia caudata (Endangered), Pleurothallis mundula, Cyrtochilum ioplocon, Dracula psittacina, and Oncidium gloriosum (Vulnerable). Although the conservation status of some endemic species (26 spp., 17.21%) remains unknown or unassessed, many observed during field trips are rare and vulnerable to illegal collection for commercial purposes. The remaining forests of San Antonio del Tequendama, especially those within protected natural reserves, are crucial for in situ conservation actions at the local level. Our findings on species distribution provide a baseline for assessing the conservation status of orchid populations in cloud forests.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Andean forest
  topic: keywords
subject: cloud forest
  topic: keywords
subject: diversity
  topic: keywords
subject: endemic
  topic: keywords
subject: Epidendrum
  topic: keywords
subject: epiphytes
  topic: keywords
creator: Juan Camilo Ordóñez-Blanco
creator: Jefry Saavedra-Gutiérrez
creator: Edicson Parra-Sánchez
creator: Gustavo Morales
creator: Camilo Cadena
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
starting page: 217
ending page: 238
doi: 10.15517/0efjpg42

New evidence corroborates the presence of Solenidium lunatum (Oncidiinae) in Colombia
type: item
description: Solenidium includes three species found from northern to central South America. They are characterized by free, similar sepals and petals, a trilobed lip with a grooved claw, and a winged column with two ceraceous pollinia. The presence of Solenidium lunatum in Colombia has been confirmed, specifically within the Sierra de la Macarena National Natural Park. Historically, its record within Colombian territory was uncertain, despite mentions in catalogs and a fragmented specimen (K–SPC–61118.000) lacking precise collection data. This discovery confirms its known distribution, which spans from northern South America (Colombia, Venezuela) to the Brazilian Cerrado, mainly in areas with granitic formations
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Colombian Orinoco
  topic: keywords
subject: Oncidiinae
  topic: keywords
subject: orchids
  topic: keywords
subject: plants
  topic: keywords
subject: taxonomy
  topic: keywords
creator: Juan David Lozano Cifuentes
creator: Amilcar Santos Morales
creator: Fausto Riaño Londoño
creator: Jose Luis Peña Buenaventura
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2025-11-20
publication date: 2025-11-20
starting page: 167
ending page: 175
doi: 10.15517/vrcxad17

Recruitment bottleneck in aphyllous vanilla seedlings facing drought conditions
type: item
description: Seedling survival is strongly dependent on forest environmental conditions, which in Madagascar have been heavily degraded. Rising temperatures and declining rainfall further exacerbate the vulnerability of these ecosystems. We investigated seedling recruitment across ecologically diverse sites to identify the key factors influencing germination and seedling survival in aphyllous Vanilla species. In situ seedling monitoring and in vitro seed germination trials were conducted to assess tolerance to water stress at various developmental stages. Among the 13 study sites, only three showed positive recruitment rates, with two sites exhibiting rates exceeding 50%. Recruitment was influenced by factors such as fruiting success, soil acidity, high silt content, and clay-rich soil composition. After 12 months of monitoring, approximately 85% of seedlings were lost following severe drought conditions. In vitro asymbiotic germination assays revealed two distinct peaks: rapid germination of immature white seeds after four months, followed by delayed germination of mature black seeds eight months later. The assessment of drought tolerance across protocorm developmental stages exposed to a high-concentration gelling agent revealed that advanced-stage protocorms had increased resistance to water stress. However, no developmental stage was capable of surviving a prolonged six-month drought. Due to the absence of seedling recruitment in several locations, aphyllous vanilla recruitment may benefit from assisted propagation through seed cultures and the subsequent reintroduction of young plantlets into natural habitats. Moreover, conservation and restoration programs should incorporate research on developing soil conditions that facilitate vanilla seedling recruitment.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: aridity
  topic: keywords
subject: deforestation
  topic: keywords
subject: orchids
  topic: keywords
subject: protocorm
  topic: keywords
subject: seedling establishment
  topic: keywords
subject: seedling mortality
  topic: keywords
creator: Alemao Botomanga
creator: Mamisitraka T. G. Dinaharilala
creator: Johnson G. Andrianantenaina
creator: Hoby N. Nomenjanahary
creator: Vololoniaina H. Jeannoda
creator: Nicola Fuzzati
creator: Aro Vonjy Ramarosandratana
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2025-11-04
publication date: 2025-11-04
starting page: 177
ending page: 199
doi: 10.15517/rwsfdp60

A new species of Pleurothallis (Pleurothallidinae) from the P. talpinaria complex, with notes on comparative floral morphology and pollination ecology
type: item
description: A new species of Pleurothallis subgenus Talpinaria, discovered in the department of Tolima, Central Andes of Colombia, is described, illustrated, and discussed. The new species, Pleurothallis vallejoi is compared with P. talpinaria from Colombia and Venezuela, P. trimeroglossa from Peru and Ecuador, P. jostii, presumed to occur in Ecuador, and P. gracilicolumna from Colombia. The new species is distinguished from the previous ones by a lip with subquadrate lateral lobes, with narrowly elliptical basal auricles, and a callus that is elongated, thin, and slightly elevated, with the median lobe occupying almost half of the total lip length. Additionally, the pollination mechanism of the P. talpinaria complex is described and discussed.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Andean orchids
  topic: keywords
subject: Diptera
  topic: keywords
subject: Pleurothallis gracilicolumna
  topic: keywords
subject: Pleurothallis jostii
  topic: keywords
subject: Pleurothallis talpinaria
  topic: keywords
subject: Pleurothallis trimeroglossa
  topic: keywords
subject: Sylvicola
  topic: keywords
creator: Mario Alexei Sierra-Ariza
creator: José Armando Alvarez-Diaz
creator: Fernando Tinoco
creator: Mark Wilson
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2025-10-15
publication date: 2025-10-15
starting page: 151
ending page: 166
doi: 10.15517/zzdx7h51

First naturalization of the orchid Cymbidium aloifolium, a population found in southern Florida
type: item
description: The first naturalization of the orchid Cymbidium aloifolium in the world is reported in a residential neighborhood in southern Florida near Miami. A survey for naturalized plants of this epiphytic orchid, which is native to South and Southeast Asia, found 101 plants growing on 38 different trees belonging to 13 different species. Of these 101 plants, 53 were mature, capable of reproduction, 37 were juveniles, and 11 were seedlings. Seven plants bore a total of 86 fruit. The tree hosts with the most plants were the palms Phoenix roebelenii and Thrinax radiata, and a mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla). A small remnant of the Pine Rockland within this residential area had three native tree species with four plants of this orchid, indicating the potential of the orchid to invade this unique, rare plant community. Cymbidium aloifolium’s occurrence at higher latitudes and altitudes in its native Asia than where it has naturalized in Florida suggests that it should be able to live farther north in Florida.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: biological invasion
  topic: keywords
subject: epiphyte
  topic: keywords
subject: fruit set
  topic: keywords
subject: phorophytes
  topic: keywords
subject: Pine Rocklands
  topic: keywords
subject: suburban residential area
  topic: keywords
creator: Robert W. Pemberton
creator: Jason L. Downing
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2025-08-26
publication date: 2025-08-26
starting page: 135
ending page: 143
doi: 10.15517/hpb0yr65

A tale of two women: The Caribbean orchid portraits of Louise Auguste von Panhuys (1763–1844) and Nancy Anne Kingsbury Wollstonecraft (1791–1828)
type: item
description: Louise von Panhuys (1763–1844) and Nancy Anne Kingsbury Wollstonecraft (1791–1828) stand out historically as the first female illustrators of neotropical orchids. Louise von Panhuys epitomized an era when high social status equated to a refined education; as the writers of her time described, a classic “lady of leisure.” In contrast Nancy K. Wollstonecraft, was the daughter of a clergyman from New England, born into the broad American middle class which shaped the early decades of the United States’ independent life. Both shared a common passion for: the exuberant forests of the Caribbean European colonies: von Panhuys in the Dutch territory of Suriname and Wollstonecraft in the Spanish island of Cuba. The artistic result of these two women’s works is astounding and went in different directions: while von Panhuys painted to entertain herself and with a mostly descriptive purpose, Wollstonecraft combined her artistic talent and her botanical knowledge into a three-volume manuscript, Specimens of the Fruits and Plants of the Island of Cuba (unfortunately never published), with accurate and detailed descriptions and beautiful illustrations. Biographies of these two extraordinary women are accompanied by complete sets of their orchid paintings, eight by Panhuys (along with several of her landscapes and scenes from Suriname) and nine by Wollstonecraft. A clarifying note: Wollstonecraft’s name is indistinctly given as ‘Nancy Anne’, ‘Anne’, or ‘Nancy’. The author has adhered to the name as given in the different bibliographical sources.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: botanical illustration
  topic: keywords
subject: Cuba
  topic: keywords
subject: feminism
  topic: keywords
subject: Suriname
  topic: keywords
subject: orchids
  topic: keywords
creator: Carlos Ossenbach
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2025-08-21
publication date: 2025-08-21
starting page: 115
ending page: 134
doi: 10.15517/3nhp5x17

A new species of Chloraea (Chloraeinae)
type: item
description: In Peru, Chloraea previously included five species. However, recent field explorations and herbarium specimen revisions have led to the discovery of a new species from northern Peru. Here, we describe and illustrate Chloraea aequatorialis, the species with the most northern distribution recorded for the genus, ranging from 5º50’ to 7º56’ S. The new species closely resembles C. septentrionalis, with which it grows partially in sympatry in the departments of Cajamarca and La Libertad, but it can be easily distinguished by its larger sepals and petals, a lip disc covered by thin, narrow, and long appendages, a longer lip claw, column, and anther, and a shorter stigma. We provide information on the habitat, distribution, and conservation status of the new species, along with an updated description of C. septentrionalis and a key to the Peruvian species of Chloraea.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Chloraea aequatorialis
  topic: keywords
subject: Chloraea septentrionalis
  topic: keywords
subject: Orchidaceae
  topic: keywords
subject: Peruvian Andes
  topic: keywords
subject: taxonomy
  topic: keywords
creator: Delsy Trujillo
creator: Luis Ocupa-Horna
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2025-08-18
publication date: 2025-08-18
starting page: 103
ending page: 113
doi: 10.15517/3am3kd25

In vitro seed propagation constraints of Mexican lady’s slipper orchid, Pichouaxtle, Cypripedium irapeanum.
type: item
description: Cypripedium irapeanum known in Mexico as "Pichohuaxtle" in Nahuatl, is the most emblematic Mexican lady’s slipper orchid and one of the most studied cypripedioid species in Mesoamerica. Despite its protected status in Mexico, habitat loss driven by land-use change has severely reduced its populations. Ex situ conservation approaches are urgently needed to safeguard its genetic diversity, yet seed germination in the genus remains challenging due to innate dormancy and specific nutritional requirements. We collected seeds from two Mexican ecosystems where this species is distributed —Quercus and Tropical Dry Forests— and isolated mycorrhizal fungi from adult plants to examine both symbiotic and asymbiotic cultures. We found limitations in seed production due to flower ripening, ineffective pollination, or parasitism. Furthermore, germination was achieved after a cold treatment, and the best medium to obtain seedlings in vitro was Norstog medium. Two mycorrhizal fungi, isolated from adult plants belonging to the family Tulasnellaceae, formed a clade with previous isolates from American slipper orchids. One of these isolates promoted germination but later produced fungal incompatibility in vitro. Our study contributes to clarify previously undescribed processes in the biology of this highly appreciated and vulnerable species, supporting future efforts to propagate it from seed and obtain successful cultures.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Ceratobasidiaceae
  topic: keywords
subject: Epulorhiza
  topic: keywords
subject: mycorrhizal incompatibility
  topic: keywords
subject: orchid mycorrhiza
  topic: keywords
subject: symbiotic germination
  topic: keywords
subject: Tulasnellaceae
  topic: keywords
creator: Mauricio Moreno-Camarena
creator: M. Pilar Ortega-Larrocea
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2025-12-05
publication date: 2025-12-05
starting page: 201
ending page: 215
doi: 10.15517/895ark56

Overlooked for almost 200 years: clarification of Vanilla guianensis (Orchidaceae), a prior name for V. hostmannii, and the reinstatement of V. acuta
type: item
description: The binomial Vanilla guianensis, published by Splitgerber in 1841, has long been debated as potentially based on a mixed collection of two taxa belonging to different Vanilla subgenera. Most of the literature has placed the name under Vanilla subg. Membranacea, while it has also been less frequently associated with Vanilla subg. Vanilla. In this study, we reassessed its typification and demonstrate that the original material and protologue are congruent and not based on a mixed collection of different species. We hypothesize Vanilla guianensis is a member of Vanilla subg. Vanilla, and that the name is conspecific with V. hostmannii. We further clarify the nomenclatural and typification status of V. surinamensis, a name published by Reichenbach on the basis of Splitgerber material, and identify Pulle as the first author to have effectively neotypified Splitgerber’s V. guianensis. We reach this conclusion by conducting a comprehensive analysis of Splitgerber’s Vanilla collections, supported by an examination of his herbarium catalogue and fieldbook, together with an extensive historical review of the post-Splitgerber literature. Finally, we discuss the implications of our proposal for the circumscription of these and other implicated taxa, including Vanilla acuta.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: nomenclature
  topic: keywords
subject: Orchidaceae
  topic: keywords
subject: Reichenbach
  topic: keywords
subject: Splitgerber
  topic: keywords
subject: Suriname
  topic: keywords
subject: Vanilloideae
  topic: keywords
creator: Alexander Damián-Parizaca
creator: Adam P. Karremans
creator: Franco Pupulin
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2025-12-19
publication date: 2025-12-19
starting page: 239
ending page: 251
doi: 10.15517/xw71n393

Darwin’s prescient letter regarding orchid mycorrhiza
type: item
description: On March 26, 1863, Charles Darwin wrote a letter to Joseph Dalton Hooker, describing his attempts to germinate orchid seeds. In this letter, he mentioned his hope to observe orchid seedlings and expressed a “notion that [the seeds]. . . are parasites in early youth on cryptogams!!”. This statement appears to predict Noël Bernard’s 1899 discovery that orchid seeds require fungal colonization for successful germination. However, there is some uncertainty regarding Darwin’s exact meaning. The term “cryptogams” in his time commonly included fungi but also encompassed bryophytes, pteridophytes, and other non-vascular plants. Since Darwin mentioned sphagnum in his experiments, it is possible to suggest that he may have considered mosses as potential hosts rather than fungi. But, since this was a personal letter to Joseph D. Hooker rather than a formal publication, Darwin may have been less precise in his terminology. Nevertheless, considering Darwin’s broader interest in plant-fungal interactions, it is very plausible that he regarded fungi as possible symbiotic partners in orchid germination. The extent of Darwin’s prescience on the orchid-fungal relationship may be debatable terminologically (did he mean fungi by using “cryptogams”?). However, his speculation was remarkably intuitive, questioning whether orchids required an external biological partner for germination. Darwin’s letter demonstrates his foresight, but it does not diminish Noël Bernard’s monumental achievement. Bernard made his discovery independently, without knowledge of Darwin’s observations, relying solely on his extraordinary scientific talent. His work remains a cornerstone of orchid science. Unfortunately, Darwin’s prescient letter seems not to have been noticed, appreciated, or cited often enough in the orchid literature during its 162 years of existence.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: capsule
  topic: keywords
subject: fungi
  topic: keywords
subject: germination
  topic: keywords
subject: seeds
  topic: keywords
subject: substrate
  topic: keywords
subject: symbiosis
  topic: keywords
creator: Joseph Arditti
creator: Diego Bogarín
creator: Edward C. Yeung
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2025-07-29
publication date: 2025-07-29
starting page: 83
ending page: 102
doi: 10.15517/y157kw10

Gastrochilus pechei (Orchidaceae), a new addition to the flora of India
type: item
description: Gastrochilus pechei was recently documented in Vijoynagar, Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Identification was based on the spathulate sepals and petals; the acute, sub-triangular, slightly irregularly erose margin of the epichile with a central cushion, and the subglobose hypochile. The species belongs to the section Brachycaules. This report represents a new distribution record for India. An updated description and detailed photographs based on Indian material are provided
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Aeridinae
  topic: keywords
subject: Arunachal Pradesh
  topic: keywords
subject: Gastrochilus
  topic: keywords
subject: new record
  topic: keywords
subject: Vijoynagar
  topic: keywords
creator: Vinay Kumar Sahani
creator: Minom Pertin
creator: Khyanjeet Gogoi
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
date: 2025-07-28
publication date: 2025-07-28
starting page: 77
ending page: 82
doi: 10.15517/2p3j2d27