Researchers have confirmed the discovery of a new orchid species in Colombia: Pleurothallis maitamae, unique in the world, found in the paramo of Sonson, in eastern Antioquia.
The species, named Pleurothallis maitamae, was discovered in the transition zone between the high Andean forest and the subparamo, at an altitude ranging from 2,600 to 3,300 meters above sea level. Its habitat is located within the Regional District for Integrated Management (DRMI) Paramo de Vida Maitama — Sonson, a protected area managed by the Regional Autonomous Corporation of the Negro and Nare River Basins (Cornare).
How was the new orchid species discovered in Colombia?
The discovery of the Maitama orchid began in 2019, when a group of students took part in an ecological hike through the mountains of Sonson. During the walk, they photographed several wild orchids and later uploaded the images to the platform NaturaLista Colombia, a digital tool for citizen science.
The images caught the attention of national and international experts who, after analyzing the plant’s features, concluded that it was an undescribed species. From that point on, a research process began, led by botanists Yudy Gallego Franco, David Sanchez Gomez, and Mark Wilson, a renowned specialist in the Pleurothallis genus.
The team compared specimens and carried out morphological analyses, confirming that it was indeed a new species. The results were officially published in the scientific journal Phytotaxa, establishing Pleurothallis maitamae as a new member of Colombia’s rich flora.
A tribute to Cacique Maitama
The orchid’s name was not chosen at random. The species pays tribute to Cacique Maitama, an Indigenous leader who inhabited the region of the Arma River Canyon in Colombia’s central Andes. Through this naming, the researchers sought to connect the scientific discovery with the ancestral memory of the territory.
According to the published description, Pleurothallis maitamae has cream-colored flowers with purple spots, petals with an S-shaped curve, and a trilobed lip with lateral lobes resembling small horns. These morphological features distinguish it from other species of the same genus, such as Pleurothallis crocodiliceps, with which it shares some similarities.
An endemic and vulnerable species
So far, Pleurothallis maitamae has only been recorded in the paramo of Sonson, making it an endemic species of this region in Antioquia. Its limited habitat makes it particularly vulnerable to threats such as deforestation, wildfires, unregulated tourism, and climate change.
Researchers have recommended strengthening the protection of the DRMI Paramo de Vida Maitama — Sonson and promoting monitoring strategies to better understand the species’ distribution and conservation status. In a preliminary evaluation based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria, the orchid has been classified as Data Deficient (DD), meaning that more information is needed to determine its risk level.