Two New Species of Lepanthes (Orchidaceae: Pleurothallidinae) from Costa Rica

Abstract

Despite the monumental work by C. A. Luer, which disclosed the high diversity of Lepanthes Sw. in Costa Rica (Luer 1987, 1995, 2003), novelties in this species-rich genus of the Orchidaceae are continuously arising from botanical exploration in the country (Pupulin 2001, 2003; Blanco 2003). This may sound obvious for less known areas, relatively difficult to access, but it is also true for well-explored regions such as Monteverde. More than 3000 species of vascular plants were recorded there by Haber (2000), 400 of which are orchids according to Atwood (2000). The area of El Empalme, along the PanAmerican Highway is similar; botanists have made important collections here for at least the last 50 years. This paper describes two new species of Lepanthes from the continental divide of the Cordillera de Tilarin and the Talamanca range in central Costa Rica. All cited specimens have been seen by the authors. Descriptive terminology follows Luer (1996).