Three new species of Pleurothallis (Orchidaceae) from Costa Rica and Panama, with a note on asexual reproduction by prolification in Pleurothallidinae

Researchers have identified three new species of Pleurothallis orchids—P. matrisilvae, P. pridgeoniana, and P. winkeliana—from the Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves in Costa Rica and Panama, distinguished by their prolific vegetative growth and unique morphological traits. These species exhibit asexual reproduction through prolification, where new ramicauls develop from floral meristems, either constitutively or under stress conditions. P. matrisilvae resembles P. bothros but features thinner ramicauls, longer flower segments, and black flecks on reproductive structures. P. pridgeoniana, similar to P. vinealis, is characterized by smaller yellow flowers with rose-purple suffusion and a triangular-ovate lip without a central sulcus. P. winkeliana mirrors P. longipetala but differs in broader, cordate leaves and a pendent lip perpendicular to the column. The study highlights the diversity of Pleurothallidinae orchids in high-altitude, humid environments.

Karremans, A. P., Pupulin, F., Gange, J., & Bogarín, D. (2025). Three new species of Pleurothallis (Orchidaceae) from Costa Rica and Panama, with a note on asexual reproduction by prolification in Pleurothallidinae. PhytoKeys, 256, 197–220. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.256.140316