Orquídeas, Tesoro de Colombia

Abstract

In this second volume of the work, the generic treatment is preceded by an extensive chapter on orchids and philately in Colombia, written by Antonio Raad Aljure and profusely illustrated with photographs taken by Uribe Vélez of the author’s stamp collection, The chapter highlights over 60 years of history of stamps issued in Colombia, since 1947 — with the first six orchid species — until 2011, with a philatelic sheet devoted to Colombian biodiversity, which features flowers of Odontoglosssum luteopurpureum (now Oncidium luteopurpureum). Volume 2 of Orchids, a Colombian Treasure only covers 23 genera, from Elleanthus to Habenaria, but it includes the mammoth Epidendrum, a true crux orchidologorum, as well as the diverse and difficult Encyclia and Gongora.