2-Millimeter Mini Orchids, Three Others Newly Discovered Faces Possible Extinction

Conservation plant hunters have discovered four new species of mini orchids in a Colombian nature reserve near the Pacific Ocean. The four species measuring 2 to 4mm are facing possible extinction.

The Cauca valley, which lies between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, is the location of the discoveries.According to officials, a partnership among academic experts as well as conservationists led to the discovery of the new blooms.

According to experts, the tiny flowers, which are from the genus Lephanthes, are only 2 to 4 millimeters long.

Already at Risk of Extinction

The National Natural Parks of Colombia (Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia) said that deforestation puts the small orchid species at risk of extinction.

Researchers from the University of Valle (UV) together with researchers from Los Farallones De Cali collaborated to make the discoveries to record the biodiversity of the area and highlight the need for more intensive conservation efforts.

The National Natural Parks of Colombia stated in the statement that they are appreciative of the efforts of numerous actors and that the discovery of several new orchid species in the area highlights the importance of the area for conservation.

One of the orchids was given the name Lepanthes cardenasii in honor of renowned botanist Dairon Cardenas, who oversaw the Colombian Amazonian Herbarium (COAH) and amassed over 50,000 plant specimens.

Lepanthes dorae, a second orchid, was named in honor of Dora Alicia Londoo Hoyos, also known as "Ms. Dora," a local who initiated a bird-watching project in one of the regions where the new species was discovered.

The Lepanthes davidii was given that name in honor of David Galindo, son of one of the researchers. The Lepanthes morae orchid was named in honor of photographer and naturalist Danny Mora, who assisted in the documentation of the novel species.

Orchids in Columbia

From a biological, commercial, and contemplative standpoint, orchids are plants that spark a lot of interest, according to the National Natural Parks of Colombia. This indicates that daily efforts are increasing to create studies that enable the diversification of their subject matter.

They went on to say that given the variety of ecosystems in the region and the fact that Colombia has a high number of endemic species, these plants have a very significant position in Valle del Cauca.

Many of these tiny orchids are endemic to Colombia, according to the National Natural Parks of Colombia, and are only found in very small patches of the Andean forests, which, combined with the deforestation of these areas, has put them in danger of going extinct, Newsweek reports.

Orchids

Given the wide variety of available hybrids, it is possible to grow orchid flowers in a wide range of different hues. All orchids are perennial herbs that have two distinct growth patterns. The first, is sympodial, in which shoots emerge next to one another on the stem, bloom, and then stop growing before being replaced by the following set. The second is Monopodial, in which the stem develops from a single bud. The leaves are introduced from the apex each year.

There are approximately 25,000 wild species established over the past 80 millennia spread over six continents, in almost every type of habitat. National Geographic data shows that orchids have four times as many species as mammal species and twice as many as bird species, accounting for a full fourth of all flowering plants in the world.