An international symposium exploring the evolutionary biology, taxonomy, and global distribution of orchids—the largest family of flowering plants with nearly 30,000 species. Featuring leading researchers presenting cutting-edge perspectives on orchid evolution across taxonomic, temporal, and geographical scales. The symposium supports a Special Issue in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society.
Speakers include:
- Richard M. Bateman (Royal Botanic Gardens Kew) - European orchid diversity and speciation mechanisms
- Joris Bertrand (Université de Perpignan Via Domitia) - Pollination strategies and adaptive radiation in Bee Orchids (Ophrys)
- Gill and David Mathers (Mathers Foundation) - Taxonomy, provenance, and conservation
- Oscar Alejandro Pérez-Escobar (Royal Botanic Gardens Kew) - Orchid evolution and the orchid tree of life
- Melania Fernandez Campos (Lankester Botanic Garden, Costa Rica) - Orchid mycorrhizae ecology and diversity
- Arthur Macedo (University of Coimbra) - Phylogenomics and biogeography of Mystacidioid Orchids
- Monika Lipińska (University of Gdansk) - The floral microbiome's role in plant reproduction
- Diego Bogarin Chavez (Lankester Botanic Garden, Costa Rica) - Future identification of orchid species
- Roberta Gargiulo (Royal Botanic Gardens Kew) - Genetic diversity and conservation
- Alexander Damián-Parizaca (University of Wisconsin-Madison) - Phylogenomics and biogeography of Vanilla orchids
A limited number of poster presentations are available, with priority for early-career researchers. Papers from the symposium will be published in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society Special Issue.
