The Orchid Pollinaria Collection at Lankester Botanical Garden, University of Costa Rica

Abstract

The relevance of pollinaria study in orchid systematics and reproductive biology is summarized. The Orchid Pollinaria Collection and the associate database of Lankester Botanical Garden, University of Costa Rica, are presented. The collection includes 496 pollinaria, belonging to 312 species in 94 genera, with particular emphasis on Neotropical taxa of the tribe Cymbidieae (Epidendroideae). The associated database includes digital images of the pollinaria and is progressively made available to the general public through EPIDENDRA, the online taxonomic and nomenclatural database of Lankester Botanical Garden. Examples are given of the use of the pollinaria collection by researchers of the Center in a broad range of systematic applications.