Underground Storage Organs Research Articles

An Overview of the Therapeutic Potential of Iris persica

The family Iridaceae contains 92 genera and more than 1800 species, mostly perennial herbs with underground storage organs called rhizomes (bulbs). Some genera are important in traditional medicines, especially Iris and Gladiolus. The genus Iris belongs to this family and comprises about hundreds of species among them, 12 species are found in Iraq. It has been widely used in various medicines worldwide especially Iris persica is used in folk medicine in the Kurdistan region of Iraq as an effective treatment of tumours, inflammation, and as antibacterial and antifungal agent. Earlier findings confirmed that Iris persica and its constituents play a role in the scavenging of free radical generation and prevention of disease pathogenesis. Each part of the Iris persica herb has some medicinal property. This review focuses mainly on the biological activities of the Iris persica and some of their compounds isolated, pharmacological actions of the Iris persica extracts and products, and plausible medicinal and therapeutically applications.

Buried but unsafe – Defoliation depletes the underground storage organ (USO) of the mesic grassland geophyte, Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Mesic grasslands in South Africa (> 650 mm a − 1 MAP) are rich in herbaceous forbs, which outnumber grass species by more than 5 to 1. Many of these forbs are geophytes with underground storage units (USOs), such as thickened rootstocks, rhizomes, bulbs, or corms, that provide resources (non-structural carbohydrates, minerals, and water) enabling them to resprout after dry, frosty winters, and fire. However, despite their extensive biomass and reserves ostensibly protected underground, mesic grassland geophytes can be severely depleted or extirpated by chronic trampling and grazing of their aerial parts by livestock. This study examined a possible explanation for the demise of grassland geophytes in overgrazed grassland by investigating, in a pot trial, whether the growth of a geophyte and the size of its USOs are negatively affected by simulated green leaf loss. In a 2 × 2 factorial (clipped vs. unclipped x spring regrowth in the dark vs. light), five replicate plants of Hypoxis hemerocallidea, a common mesic grassland geophyte that resprouts from a corm, were subject to six severe (clipped to 80 mm) defoliations during the growing season and regrown in spring under full or restricted light to measure stored reserve contribution to regrowth. Defoliated plants were resilient to defoliation during the growing season, matching the total biomass production of unclipped plants, though cutting reduced the number of leaves by ¬60% and flowers by almost 85%. Spring regrowth on stored reserves equalled that from reserves plus concurrent photosynthesis, indicating the value of USOs for regrowth. However, there was a marked carry-over effect of previous season defoliation, resulting in a one-third reduction in shoot growth and 40% fewer inflorescence in spring. Crucially, corm mass was more than halved by clipping, which resulted in lower spring biomass and inflorescence production. It was concluded that buried stored reserves are not protected from recurrent defoliation and mechanical damage to aerial plant parts and that continued diminishment of USOs under chronic disturbance by overgrazing or frequent mowing would weaken and likely eventually kill plants, reducing overall forb species richness. Lenient management by infrequent summer mowing or grazing at moderate stocking rates combined with periodic rotational full season resting and dormant-season burning is recommend to maintain the USOs and vigour of grassland geophytes in mesic grassland.

The first comprehensive micro use-wear analysis of an early Acheulean assemblage (Thiongo Korongo, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania)

Probably, one of the biggest questions about the Acheulean is focused on the functional aspects of its lithic industry and, more specifically, its link to subsistence activities developed by hominins during the Early Stone Age. Historically, tecno-functional research on ESA techno-complex has focused on the role played by flakes and LCT in the processing of animal carcasses, but less attention has been payed to other possible activities related with subsistence and tool making. Previous traceological studies on African Lower Paleolithic lithic industries have shown the complexity of activities made with the earliest lithic tools, including not only the processing of animal carcasses, but also activities dedicated to processing wood, non-woody plants and underground storage organs (USOs). In this paper we present the use-wear results obtained from the analysis of the Early Acheulean lithic tools with potentially functional edges which are part of the lithic assemblage from the Thiongo Korongo archaeological site (TK) (Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania). The three main levels of the archaeological site, TKSF, TKLSC and TKLF, have been used as samples. From 466 lithic artefacts analyzed, 16 pieces present sufficient preservation of use related traces that are able to clearly identify the activities developed when compared with experimental reference collections. As a result, we have identified activities mainly related with the cutting and scraping of wood and non-woody plants, including USOs. In addition, some pieces have also presented traces indicating the processing of animal carcasses. These data provides important information about different activities developed in TK by early hominids, allowing us to make broader inferences about the different subsistence activities carried out during the Acheulean in Eastern Africa.

Dry weight minimum in the underground storage and proliferation organs of six creeping perennial weeds

AbstractMany herbaceous perennial plant species gain significant competitive advantages from their underground creeping storage and proliferation organs (CR), making them more likely to become successful weeds or invasive plants. To develop efficient control methods against such invasive or weedy creeping perennial plants, it is necessary to identify when the dry weight minimum of their CR (CR DWmin) occurs. Moreover, it is of interest to determine how the timing of CR DWmin differs in species with different light requirements at different light levels. The CR DWmin of Aegopodium podagraria, Elymus repens and Sonchus arvensis were studied in climate chambers under two light levels (100 and 250 μmol m−2 s−1), and Reynoutria japonica, R. sachaliensis and R. × bohemica under one light level (250 μmol m−2 s−1). Under 250 μmol m−2 s−1, the CR DWmin occurred before one fully developed leaf in R. sachaliensis, around 1–2 leaves in A. podagraria and E. repens and around four leaves in S. arvensis, R. japonica and R. × bohemica. In addition to reducing growth in all species, less light resulted in a higher shoot mass fraction in E. repens and S. arvensis, but not A. podagraria; and it delayed the CR DWmin in E. repens, but not S. arvensis. Only 65% of planted A. podagragra rhizomes produced shoots. Beyond the CR DWmin, Reynoutria spp. reinvested in their old CR, while the other species primarily produced new CR. We conclude that A. podagraria, R. sachaliensis and E. repens are vulnerable to control efforts at an earlier developmental stage than S. arvensis, R. japonica and R. × bohemica.

Unveiling the relevance of carbohydrate-rich underground plant foods in the archaeological record

Rich in carbohydrates, underground storage organs played a key role in human history. This project aims to establish a systematic methodology for their multi-proxy study, creating an online reference collection, using different microscopy techniques for identification and establishing a reference guide to use-wear patterns on experimental archaeology tools used for the processing of underground storage organs.

Ethnobotanical Study on Plant Used by Semi-Nomad Descendants' Community in Ouled Dabbeb-Southern Tunisia.

Thanks to its geographic location between two bioclimatic belts (arid and Saharan) and the ancestral nomadic roots of its inhabitants, the sector of Ouled Dabbeb (Southern Tunisia) represents a rich source of plant biodiversity and wide ranging of ethnobotanical knowledge. This work aims to (1) explore and compile the unique diversity of floristic and ethnobotanical information on different folk use of plants in this sector and (2) provide a novel insight into the degree of knowledge transmission between the current population and their semi-nomadic forefathers. Ethnobotanical interviews and vegetation inventories were undertaken during 2014–2019. Thirty informants aged from 27 to 84 were interviewed. The ethnobotanical study revealed that the local community of Ouled Dabbeb perceived the use of 70 plant species belonging to 59 genera from 31 families for therapeutic (83%), food (49%), domestic (15%), ethnoveterinary (12%), cosmetic (5%), and ritual purposes (3%). Moreover, they were knowledgeable about the toxicity of eight taxa. Nearly 73% of reported ethnospecies were freely gathered from the wild. The most commonly used plant parts were leaves (41%) followed by flowers and inflorescence (16%). We reported the use and collection of non-renewable parts (underground storage organs and roots) for 20 ethnospecies. Interestingly, a comparison with the available literature in Tunisia and neighboring countries reveals 13 new useful plants as well as 17 plants with new uses and demonstrates an important reservoir of traditional ethnobotanical heritage that is still sustained by respondents stemming from the semi-nomadic lifestyle of their ancestors (74% of cited taxa). These data could set a basis for further phytochemical and pharmacological research and conservative approach of the most relevant plant species including endemic overused and endangered taxa.

Underground carbohydrate stores and storage organs in fire-maintained longleaf pine savannas in Florida, USA.

Many perennial herbaceous plants develop underground storage organs (USOs) that store carbohydrates, water, and minerals. The resprouting ability of plants is influenced by the availability of these materials and by the type of underground organ and number of viable buds. In this study, we illustrate the diversity of longleaf pine savanna species and their nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) pools and concentrations. We also determined whether NSC concentrations by USO are good predictors of NSC pools in species with different types of underground structures. We excavated in their entirety 1-4 individuals of each of 100 ground-layer pine savanna species, classified their USO types, and measured their NSC concentrations and NSC pools. The NSC concentrations in underground organs varied widely among the 100 species sampled. Surprisingly, the fibrous roots of Pityopsis graminifolia stored higher concentrations of NSCs than many species with USOs. The relationship between NSC concentrations and NSC pools was strong after controlling for underground biomass. Our results revealed the high diversity of underground organs in pine savannas. It also showed that NSC concentrations in species with USOs reach high levels. Predictions of NSC pool sizes from NSC concentrations are interpretable, when corrections for underground biomass are considered. Research on underground organs would benefit from inclusion of morphological-anatomical analyses and phylogenetic controls to promote use of the data in broad-scale analyses.

Comparative transcriptomics of a monocotyledonous geophyte reveals shared molecular mechanisms of underground storage organ formation.

Many species from across the vascular plant tree-of-life have modified standard plant tissues into tubers, bulbs, corms, and other underground storage organs (USOs), unique innovations which allow these plants to retreat underground. Our ability to understand the developmental and evolutionary forces that shape these morphologies is limited by a lack of studies on certain USOs and plant clades. We take a comparative transcriptomics approach to characterizing the molecular mechanisms of tuberous root formation in Bomarea multiflora (Alstroemeriaceae) and compare these mechanisms to those identified in other USOs across diverse plant lineages; B. multiflora fills a key gap in our understanding of USO molecular development as the first monocot with tuberous roots to be the focus of this kind of research. We sequenced transcriptomes from the growing tip of four tissue types (aerial shoot, rhizome, fibrous root, and root tuber) of three individuals of B. multiflora. We identified differentially expressed isoforms between tuberous and non-tuberous roots and tested the expression of a priori candidate genes implicated in underground storage in other taxa. We identify 271 genes that are differentially expressed in root tubers versus non-tuberous roots, including genes implicated in cell wall modification, defense response, and starch biosynthesis. We also identify a phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein, which has been implicated in tuberization signalling in other taxa and, through gene-tree analysis, place this copy in a phylogenetic context. These findings suggest that some similar molecular processes underlie the formation of USOs across flowering plants despite the long evolutionary distances among taxa and non-homologous morphologies (e.g., bulbs vs. tubers). (Plant development, tuberous roots, comparative transcriptomics, geophytes).

Starchy food residue on a potsherd from a late Holocene hunter-gatherer site in Argentine Patagonia: towards the visibility of wild underground storage organs

The aim of this paper is to present recent advances in the microbotanical analyses of an organic residue on a potsherd from a late Holocene hunter-gatherer site in Argentine Patagonia, which is the first evidence of this kind for the processing of starchy food. Standard methods were carried out for starch grain recovery and morphometric analysis, care being taken in the prevention of cross-contamination and evaluation of post-depositional factors. Diagnostic features of the ancient starch grains recovered were compared against those from a list, available in the bibliography, of plants potentially processed in pottery, but no match was found. An anatomical and starch grain reference collection was established with three of the most frequently consumed traditional wild underground storage organs (USOs) of Patagonia, Alstroemeria aurea Graham, Tropaeolum porifolium Cav. and Diposis patagonica Skottsb., in order to compare these against the archaeobotanical record. We suggest that T. aff. porifolium (and probably also A. aff. aurea) were processed in the pot from which the sherd came, and discuss these results in terms of a better understanding of the role of wild USOs in subsistence and the possible cooking methods used in hunter-gatherer societies in Argentine Patagonia.

Plant food in the diet of the Early Iron Age pastoralists of Altai: Evidence from dental calculus and a grinding stone

Archaeological studies have hypothesized that the diversification of production activities was an important adaptive strategy of seasonally mobile herders in the Eurasian steppe belt. The aim of this study, based on the extraction of starches and phytoliths from dental calculus and a grinding stone, was to determine the composition of plant food in the diet of ancient Altai pastoralists. Specimens of dental calculus (n = 43) and a fragment of muller, attributed to the Early Iron Age (5th c. BC – 5th c. AD) archaeological cultures of the Forest-Steppe Altai and Altai Mountains (Russia) were examined. For the analysis of extracted residuals, both optical and scanning electron microscopies were used. Seven plant species were identified in dental calculus, two of them were found on the grinding stone as well. The results of the study suggest that the Early Iron Age Altai pastoralists incorporated small-scale farming and foraging into their subsistence strategy. They consumed cultivated cereals, peas, and wild edible plants. The most important plant components of their diet were millet and underground storage organs (bulbs, roots) of wild edible plants, including kandyk (Erythronium sibiricum), lily (Lily martagon), and peony (Paeonia anomala). Young green herbs, such as nettle (Urtica dioica) and cow parsnip (Heracleum dissectum), were also consumed, though the range of green food in the analysed group can be underestimated. Millet was possibly a prestige food. The wild edible plants seem to have been gathered to diversify the pastoralist diet rather than as a “famine food”.

Shade alters savanna grass layer structure and function along a gradient of canopy cover

AbstractAimIn savannas, a grass‐dominated ground layer is key to ecosystem function via grass–fire feedbacks that maintain open ecosystems. With woody encroachment, tree density increases, thereby decreasing light in the ground layer and potentially altering ecosystem function. We investigated how light availability can filter individual grass species distributions and whether different functional traits are associated with response to a shade gradient in a landscape experiencing woody encroachment.LocationSavanna–forest mosaic in the Cerrado domain, southeastern Brazil.MethodsAlong an encroachment gradient of increasing tree leaf area index (LAI) and shade, we determined how changing light availability alters grass diversity and ground layer structure relative to grass cover and grass functional traits (photosynthetic pathway, underground storage organs, bud protection and traits related to grass shape, size and leaf dimensions).ResultsIncreasing shade led to a decrease in grass cover and grass species richness, and also compositional and functional changes. We found that where tree LAI reached 1, grass cover was reduced by 50% and species richness by 30%. While C4 grass species abundances decreased with increasing shade, the opposite pattern was true for C3 grasses. There were only small differences in light preferences among C4 subtypes, with phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK) species tolerating slightly more shaded conditions. Persistence of some C4 species under more shaded conditions was possible, likely due to an ability to store starch reserves via underground storage organs.ConclusionsWoody encroachment changes diversity and structure of the grassy layer that is critical to the functioning of savanna ecosystems, highlighting the dependence of the diverse grass layer on open and sunny conditions. Our results suggest a threshold of tree cover close to LAI ≈ 1 as being critical to cerrado grassy layer conservation.

A multivariate analysis for enhancing the interpretation of infrared spectra of plant residues on lithic artefacts

The reliability in using chemical techniques for the characterization of organic and inorganic ancient residues has been proved by several scientific works in the archeological literature.Among the different proposed approaches, Fourier Transform InfraRed Spectroscopy (FTIR) demonstrated to be a valuable method to detect and interpret the use-related residues entrapped in lithic chipped stone tools after their use. However, FTIR is affected by some restrictions that could be partially overcome thorough a statistical treatment of its results. With this contribution, we propose a methodological study based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) as a statistical method to analyze infrared spectra collected on experimental residues on stone tools used to process vegetal materials. Here we show the ability of the PCA multivariate analysis to cluster samples with similar characteristics and to mine subtle spectral differences. According to our results, we proved the technique to be very suitable to discriminate vegetal materials, especially if belonging to herbaceous plants and underground storage organs (USOs) species where the likelihood to be recognized account for about 86% of possibilities. Our results demonstrate how the application of statistical methods such as PCA may amplify the interpretative capacity of the InfraRed Spectroscopy, especially when applied to archeological materials. Moreover, we contribute to build a representative spectral database of vegetal residues useful for scholars dealing with infrared measurements focused on the interpretation of the function of the archaeological artefacts.

What do Eumerus Meigen larvae feed on? New immature stages of three species (Diptera: Syrphidae) breeding in different plants

The genus Eumerus Meigen 1822 (Diptera: Syrphidae) is widely distributed in the Old World, though recently introduced into America, and their larvae feed on decaying vegetal material and/or inside underground storage organs of many plants, sometimes generating economic losses as pests. However, little is known about Eumerus larval cycles and their interactions with host plants. Here, immatures of three Eumerus species from different continents are described, noting their feeding habits and host plants. Larvae of Eumerus figurans Walker 1859 were obtained from Hawaiian cultured ginger roots; puparium of Eumerus alpinus Rondani 1857 originated from larvae collected in Asphodelus ramosus L. in France; puparia of Eumerus superbus Shannon 1927 were reared from larvae found in two Zamiaceae species from Australia. Mitochondrial COI sequences served for diagnosing E. figurans larvae. Optical and scanning electron microscopy were used to describe body features, head skeletons, anterior spiracles, pupal spiracles, and posterior respiratory processes. Overall, E. alpinus resembles E. nudus Loew 1848 immatures. Eumerus superbus has a remarkable morphology among all described immatures of the genus, being the only Eumerus reported from gymnosperms. Head skeleton of E. figurans suggests this species is a filtering one. Present findings show that larvae of Eumerus can be separated at the species level and that this genus is polyphagous, feeding on a wide range of plant tissues and taxa, including commercial species. This study emphasizes immature stages and breeding sites as important means to understand species life cycles and the interactions with their host plants and ecosystems.

Plant Foods and Different Uses of Grinding Tools at the Neolithic Site of Tanghu in Central China

ABSTRACT In the central plain of China, grinding tools are a common category of artefacts at sites attributed to the Peiligang Culture (c. 9000-7000 BP). This paper focuses on the grinding tool assemblage from the site of Tanghu, the largest Peiligang Culture settlement yet discovered. The results from the microwear and residue analyses both suggest that cereals were the primary plant material processed with the grinding tools. Other plants, including acorns and underground storage organs, were also processed, but probably to a smaller extent. Furthermore, microwear analysis suggests that the dry-grinding technique was adopted for cereal processing, and a piece of hide or animal skin was placed underneath the grinding slabs to gather the processed plant material. Apart from plant food processing, one of the grinding tools was also involved in processing bone. These data put more insights into the Neolithic culinary practices and different uses of grinding tools in this region.

Plant diet during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition in northwest China: Evidence from starch remains from Pigeon Mountain site in Ningxia Province

The Paleolithic-Neolithic transition has been hotly debated for decades. In our study, plant starch residue analysis suggests that the occupants of Pigeon Mountain (Locality QG10) exploited several edible plant resources including cereals, legumes, nuts, and underground storage organs (USOs). A post-hunting-gathering living style could be observed, with advanced plant processing techniques, but without any cultivation. Here we propose an Organized Food Supply system, to interpret the development of cereal utilization in this part of North China in prehistory. In this system, the occupants gathered various edible plant materials, including a large proportion of cereals, returned to their base camp, processed and consumed them but left a surplus for the future consumption and logistic needs for each fieldwork team. On this model, they were reaping wild plants but were not sowing them as future crops. Among the food materials, cereals are easily prepared, stored, and transported, and were thus one of the first choices of high-mobility fieldwork teams. This strategy is more significant in arid or semi-arid environments because of the difficulty of instant food acquisition, and subsequently influenced the occupants’ exploitation of plant resources.

Cooked starchy rhizomes in Africa 170 thousand years ago.

Plant carbohydrates were undoubtedly consumed in antiquity, yet starchy geophytes were seldom preserved archaeologically. We report evidence for geophyte exploitation by early humans from at least 170,000 years ago. Charred rhizomes from Border Cave, South Africa, were identified to the genus Hypoxis L. by comparing the morphology and anatomy of ancient and modern rhizomes. Hypoxis angustifolia Lam., the likely taxon, proliferates in relatively well-watered areas of sub-Saharan Africa and in Yemen, Arabia. In those areas and possibly farther north during moist periods, Hypoxis rhizomes would have provided reliable and familiar carbohydrate sources for mobile groups.

Middle Stone Age cooking

Archaeology Early evidence of cooked starchy plant food is sparse, yet the consumption of starchy roots is likely to have been a key innovation in the human diet. Wadley et al. report the identification of whole, charred rhizomes of plants of the genus Hypoxis from Border Cave, South Africa, dated up to 170,000 years ago. These archaeobotanical remains represent the earliest direct evidence for the cooking of underground storage organs. The edible Hypoxis rhizomes appear to have been cooked and consumed in the cave by the Middle Stone Age humans at the site. Hypoxis has a wide geographical distribution, suggesting that the rhizomes could have been a ready and reliable carbohydrate source for Homo sapiens in Africa, perhaps facilitating the mobility of human populations. Science , this issue p. [87][1] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aaz5926

Nutritional Value, Mineral Composition, Secondary Metabolites, and Antioxidant Activity of Some Wild Geophyte Sedges and Grasses.

Geophytes are plants with underground storage organs including bulbs, corms, tubers, and rhizomes, often physiologically active and able to survive during harsh environmental conditions. This study is conducted to assess the nutritive value, mineral composition, bioactive metabolites, and antioxidant activity of five wild geophytes (Cyperus capitatus, C. conglomeratus, Elymus farctus, Lasiurus scindicus, and Panicum turgidum) collected from the Nile Delta coast and inland desert. The proximate composition including dry matter, moisture content, ash content, fiber, fat, protein, sucrose, and glucose were determined. Also, total carbohydrates, total digestible nutrients (TDN), and nutritive values were calculated. Macro- and micro-minerals were also determined in the studied geophytes. Total phenolics, total flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, and tannins were determined. Antioxidant activity was evaluated based on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicle scavenging. Based on the nutritive value, the studied geophytes are ranked as follows: E. farctus > C. conglomeratus > L. scindicus > P. turgidum > C. capitatus. The mineral analysis reveals a sufficient amount of macro- and micro-elements in the studied geophytes while the microelements levels in the studied wild plants exist as Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu. Cyperus conglomeratus attained the highest concentrations of all determined secondary metabolites. On the other hand, C. conglomeratus, C. capitatus, and P. turgidum extracts showed strong scavenging activity (EC50 < 1 mg mL−1), while extracts of E. farctus and L. scindicus exhibited moderate scavenging activity (1 ≤ EC50 ≤ 2 mg mL−1). The present data reveal that geophytes under investigation could be used as good forage plants, especially in arid habitats. In addition, C. conglomeratus could be a potentially important candidate for natural antioxidants as it attained high contents of the bioactive constituents.

Spatial patterns, availability and cultural preferences for edible plants in southern Africa

AbstractAimWe investigated whether cross‐cultural food plant selection in southern Africa is best explained by language ancestry, floristic environment or subsistence strategy.LocationThe flora of southern Africa region.TaxaAll 1,740 edible plant taxa of southern Africa, representing 711 genera in 156 families.MethodsDistribution data of plants were overlapped in ArcMap with 19 language maps, eight biomes and all taxa with nutritional data. Six correlations were estimated between five pairwise distance matrices (language ancestry, geographical proximity, floristic and edible environments and utilized species) with Mantel tests using the ‘vegan’ package in R. Regression analyses were used to identify floristic and cultural preferences in food plant selection.ResultsSpatial autocorrelation did not influence the selection of edible plants by the 19 language groups of southern Africa (r = −.078). The floristic and edible environments had a strong correlation (r = .9743) while the distance matrices of the edible and actually utilized plants had a low correlation for 13 of the language groups (r = .2174). Regression analyses between the floristic and edible environments for the FSA region and three languages, representing hunter‐gatherers (Ju│’hoan), pastoralists (Khoekhoe) and agrarians (Venda) were all significant (p &lt; .001) with high R2 values (respectively .6181, .7702, .6654 and .7900), as were the relationship (p &lt; .001) between what is edible and what was actually utilized. Surprisingly, the Apocynaceae had a much higher residual value than globally important food plant families. Vitamin C of fruits seems to have higher levels along the coastal regions, and carbohydrates in underground storage organs have higher levels in the summer‐arid western region.Main conclusionsThere is an apparent preference for certain food plant families in southern Africa. This selection appears to be driven by subsistence strategy, based on the categories of plants preferred by the three representative language groups.

Spatiotemporal effects of Hurricane Ivan on an endemic epiphytic orchid: 10 years of follow-up

ABSTRACTBackground: Hurricanes have a strong influence on the ecological dynamics and structure of tropical forests. Orchid populations are especially vulnerable to these perturbations due to their canopy exposure and lack of underground storage organs and seed banks.Aims: We evaluated the effects of Hurricane Ivan on the population of the endemic epiphytic orchid Encyclia bocourtii to propose a management strategy.Methods: Using a pre- and post-hurricane dataset (2003–2013), we assessed the population asymptotic and transient dynamics. We also identified the individual size-stages that maximise population inertia and E. bocourtii’s spatial arrangement relative to phorophytes and other epiphytes.Results: Hurricane Ivan severely affected the survival and growth of individuals of E. bocourtii, and caused an immediate decline of the population growth rate from λ = 1.05 to λ = 0.32, which was buffered by a population reactivity of ρ1 = 1.42. Our stochastic model predicted an annual population decrease of 14%. We found an aggregated spatial pattern between E. bocourtii and its host trees, and a random pattern relative to other epiphytes.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that E. bocourtii is not safe from local extinction. We propose the propagation and reintroduction of reproductive specimens, the relocation of surviving individuals, and the establishment of new plantations of phorophytes.