'Uniquely Colored' New Orchid Species Is Likely Already Critically Endangered [Photo]

Scientists have identified a "uniquely colored" new orchid species from the rainforest in Ecuador. Unfortunately, its population may already be considered "critically endangered" because of human activity and climate change.

The very first specimen of the new species was actually photographed and recovered on Nov. 11, 2003, Pensoft Publishers noted in a blog post. Alex Portilla, photographer and sales manager at Ecuagenera, an Ecuadorian company for orchid research, took a photo of it in its natural habitat in Carchi, Ecuador, then brought it back to the company's greenhouses to be cultivated.

However, at the time, the "uniquely colored" orchid, with its striking yellow, red-maroon and red-wine coloration, was called and offered commercially by the name Maxillaria sanderiana xanthina, which is another species in the Maxillaria genus.

"It is not uncommon that some distinctly colored individuals are introduced to the commercial market under names of similar, more or less related species, as informal varieties or color forms, largely causing confusion," the authors wrote in the paper describing the new species, which was published in PhytoKeys.

New species named after discoverer's daughter

Scientists from the University of Gdańsk in Poland had encountered the mysterious orchid several times, Pensoft noted. While investigating the diversity of the Maxillaria genus in Ecuador, they scoured collections at herbariums in Europe and America. They even went on expeditions to South America.

In 2020, Ecuagenera provided the university with plant materials, which were then cultivated in the university's greenhouse. Suspecting that the orchid identified as M. sanderiana xanthina was actually another species, the scientists conducted morphological and micromorphological analyses and found that it was, indeed, a new species.

The researchers named it Maxillaria anacatalina-portillae after Ana Catalina Portilla Schröder, the daughter of its discoverer.

One may see the striking colors of the "remarkable" species in a photo shared by Pensoft Publishers. Other stunning photos of its bright yellow and reddish colors are also available here.

Interestingly, the name "xanthina" of the species means "yellow" or "red-yellow" in Latin, according to Pensoft.

Critically endangered

Unfortunately, the species may already be "critically endangered" as per the IUCN Red List criteria. As the researchers explained, the province of Carchi, where the species was found, has been suffering from "problems caused by climate change, anthropogenic impact on the environment, and the lack of awareness of natural resources."

"The change of land use, expansion of the agricultural frontier, population growth, or the opening of new roads are some dynamics that generate pressure on the ecosystems, compromising the ecological processes that take place in them," the researchers wrote.

It is estimated that Carchi has seen a 3.7% decrease in tree cover since 2000.