RESEARCH PAPER
Taxonomic revison of the genus Brasolia (Orchidaceae)
Przemyslaw Baranow
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Department of Plant Taxonomy & Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Poland
A - Research concept and design; B - Collection and/or assembly of data; C - Data analysis and interpretation; D - Writing the article; E - Critical revision of the article; F - Final approval of article
Submission date: 2026-01-29
Final revision date: 2026-04-28
Acceptance date: 2026-06-14
Online publication date: 2026-07-08
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Przemyslaw Baranow
Department of Plant Taxonomy & Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland
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ABSTRACT
The orchid genus Brasolia (Sobralieae) was recently segregated from Sobralia sensu lato based on morphological and molecular evidence, although its recognition as a distinct genus remains debated. This study presents the first comprehensive taxonomic revision of Brasolia, aiming to clarify species boundaries, document their geographic distributions, and provide reliable identification tools. A total of 302 specimens were examined. Detailed morphological observations were conducted on rehydrated flowers and compared with type specimens and original descriptions. Locality data from specimen labels were standardized, and geographic coordinates were inferred when necessary to generate distribution maps. The revision recognizes 31 species, including one described as new. Three new combinations are proposed for taxa previously assigned to Sobralia, and lectotypes are designated for Brasolia rupicola and Sobralia mandonii. An identification key, together with detailed descriptions, illustrations, and distribution maps, is provided to facilitate further research on this morphologically diverse and taxonomically challenging group.