Diversity of Orchids in Cundinamarca

Due to the beauty and variety of shapes, sizes, and colors of their flowers, orchids are one of the most charismatic group of plants. Therefore, they have historically been used for decoration.

The greatest diversity of orchids in the world can be found in the tropical mountains of the Andes. In Colombia, Antioquia is the state with greatest species richness, followed by Cundinamarca, which has 940 different species recorded for its territory (100 endemic) species¹. However, the uncontrolled extraction of orchids for commercialization, combined with the destruction of forests and the replacement of natural areas for productive land covers, has made natural populations become scarcer. Until now, the conservation status of only 73 native species in Cundinamarca has been evaluated. 51 % (37 species) of these are under some threat category². This situation evidences that there is an imminent need for both in situ and ex situ conservation actions that must be developed by the academia, NGOs, environmental authorities, and society at large.

In this sense, plant nurseries play an important role in holding and propagating those species that are under some threat category. Currently, the production and commercialization of orchids is done by such plant nurseries and merchandisers. According to data published by Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites)³, between 1975 and 2015, 189 orchid species native to the state of Cundinamarca have been traded, their major destinations being Germany, United States, and Japan.

Consequently, and with the purpose of generating synergies between knowledge and conservation to promote the sustainable use of orchids native to the state of Cundinamarca, the Humboldt Institute, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Pontifical Xaverian University), Jardín Botánico de Bogotá José Celestino Mutis (Botanical Garden of Bogotá José Celestino Mutis), and the Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (Colombian Corporation of Agricultural Research) are developing a project that aims to contribute to research, technological innovation, and social appropriation of scientific knowledge in this topic. The project is financed by the Sistema General de Regalías (General System of Royalties) through the Secretaría de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación de la Gobernación de Cundinamarca (Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation of the Government of Cundinamarca).

Preliminary results show that in the municipalities of San Antonio del Tequendama, Fusagasugá, La Mesa, Mesitas del Colegio, Cachipay, Supatá, Tena, and Bogotá there are 57 plant nurseries that produce and commercialize 86 different species of orchids, of which 63 are naturally distributed in the state of Cundinamarca and 23 in other regions of Colombia.

This represents a great opportunity to encourage the sustainable use of native orchids as an alternative to the current commercialization of exotic species. It is also a chance to improve cultivation methods of native species, decrease periods of growth and flowering, reduce productions costs, strengthen capacities of workers, and receive support from authorities that may promote such activity in the region.