Mario A. Blanco- Ph.D., University of Florida
- Faculty Member at University of Costa Rica
Mario A. Blanco
- Ph.D., University of Florida
- Faculty Member at University of Costa Rica
Director, Herbario Luis Fournier Origgi (USJ), Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ecología Tropical (CIBET), UCR
About
87
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Introduction
My research focuses on vascular plant systematics (including taxonomic and floristic revisions), plant functional morphology, and plant reproductive biology. I am also interested in the role of botanic gardens and other biological collections in the research and conservation of biodiversity. I am currently coordinator of the main Herbarium of the University of Costa Rica (USJ).
Current institution
Additional affiliations
August 2011 - present
January 2019 - June 2022
March 2018 - present
Position
- Professor (Associate)
Description
- Cursos: "Biosistemática y Taxonomía de Plantas"
Education
August 2001 - June 2011
March 1992 - June 1997
Publications
Publications (87)
Costa Rica is a country with an area of only 51,000 km2. It has been botanically explored since the mid XIX century, with higher intensity since the early XX century. Several floristic projects at the national level have sequentially augmented the national plant inventory. The last such large-scale effort, the Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica, publi...
Background and Aims: Burmannia tenella is a holo-mycoheterotrophic species widely distributed in the Amazon Biome. The objectives of this study
are to report the presence of this species in Costa Rica, to present an overview of its geographic distribution, and to provide a key to the species of
Burmannia in Mesoamerica.
Methods: We review the distr...
This is a correction to: Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, boae054, https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/boae054
Pleurothallidinae is the most diverse Neotropical subtribe in Orchidaceae and is almost exclusively pollinated by insects of the order Diptera. Dracula, a genus of 138 species in the Pleurothallidinae, is known to attract Zygothrica (Drosophilidae) flies, common macrofungi visitors, by imitating fungal volatile compounds and lamellae. Interestingly...
Orchidaceae, a highly diverse family of angiosperms, exhibits remarkable ecological and morphological adaptations, with most of its species being epiphytic or terrestrial. Nonetheless, their occurrence in aquatic and wetland habitats in the tropics is relatively uncommon, with only a few species adapted to these environments. Consequently, our curr...
Se presenta una línea de tiempo con los principales eventos en la vida de Charles Herbert Lankester (1879–1969), resaltando su trabajo como naturalista y su interés científico y hortícola por las orquídeas y otras plantas, así como la transformación de su propiedad “El Silvestre” en el Jardín Botánico Lankester de la Universidad de Costa Rica (inau...
Citation: Cedeno-Fonseca M., Ortiz O.O., Hay A., Blanco M.A. (2023) Three new species and a new record of Monstera Adans. sect. Marcgraviop-sis Madison (Araceae: Monsteroide-ae: Monstereae) from the Caribbean watershed in Costa Rica and Pan-ama. Abstract. Three new species from Monstera sect. Marcgraviopsis, M. caribaea M.Cedeño, O.Ortiz & A.Hay, M...
Background and Aims: Ricciocarpos natans is one of the few species of truly aquatic hepatics. It has a subcosmopolitan distribution and appears to be more common in temperate areas. The species has been considered to be very rare in Central America where it was known only from Panama. The objective of this study is to report the presence of this sp...
Aristolochia hondurensis, a new species of Aristolochia series Hexandrae subseries Hexandrae, endemic to Honduras, is described and illustrated. It is a species morphologically similar to Aristolochia anguicida, from which it is distinguished by its much larger flowers (in all dimensions) with an oblong, attenuate, erect perianth limb, perpendicula...
Two new cauliflorous species of Aristolochia subseries Anthocaulicae from southern Central America are described and illustrated. Aristolochia guanacastensis from northwestern Costa Rica resembles A. ruiziana, from which it is distinguished by having glabrous and narrower leaves, larger flowers without a syrinx, and shorter fruits. Aristolochia pov...
Abstract. We describe and illustrate a new species and a new record of Malaxis from the lower montane and montane forests of Costa Rica. Taxonomic descriptions, illustrations, distribution maps, and conservation assessments are provided for each species. Malaxis excentrica sp. nov. is morphologically similar to Malaxis simillima, from which it can...
Monstera Adans. (Araceae: Monstereae) is revised for Costa Rica. Thirty-five species are recognised, of which one (M. deliciosa) is introduced. Of them, ten have been only very recently described and Monstera tablasensis M.Cedeño is described as new here. A key to the species is provided, and each is illustrated. Lectotypes, epitypes or neotypes ar...
Background and Aims:
Aristolochia is the largest genus in Aristolochiaceae and is widely distributed in the world. A recent synopsis of Aristolochia in Costa Rica recognized 19 species; nevertheless, recent botanical exploration in southwestern Costa Rica has revealed yet another new species of this genus.
Methods:
The new species resulted from fi...
We studied herbarium specimens of Brasenia schreberi from the Neotropics in order to describe the distribution pattern of the species across the region. Also, we report the first records of B. schreberi for Costa Rica. We confirm that B. schreberi has a sporadic pattern of distribution in the region and also in most neotropical countries where it h...
Aristolochia longissima and Aristolochia ornithorhyncha, two new species from the lowland moist forest from the Pacific watershed of southern Costa Rica and western Panama, are described and illustrated. Both species can be distinguished from most other species of Aristolochia series Thyrsicae, because of their leaves with pellucid gland dots, whic...
Monstera gentryi from Panama and M. mittermeieri from Costa Rica are newly described, illustrated and compared with M. oreophila. The differences between the novelties and similar species are presented and an amended description of M. oreophila is provided. Resumen: Monstera gentryi de Panamá y M. mittermeieri de Costa Rica se describen como nuevas...
The taxonomic history, general description and distribution are provided for Myoxanthus. Morphological characterization of
the vegetative and reproductive organs is illustrated with photographs. A list of the 52 accepted species includes synonyms
and distribution; most are illustrated with a flower photograph. Lectotypes for M. frutex, M. lonchophy...
Plan de manejo del Jardín Botánico José María Orozco, años 2021-2026. La portada indica erróneamente que el periodo de vigencia es 2020-2025.
Changes in the pollinator assemblage visiting a plant can have consequences for reproductive success and floral evolution. We studied a recent plant trans‐continental range expansion to test whether the acquisition of new pollinator functional groups can lead to rapid adaptive evolution of flowers.
In Digitalis purpurea, we compared flower visitors...
Monstera alfaroi Croat & M. Cedeño, M. tarrazuensis Croat & M. Cedeño and M. wilsoniensis M. Cedeño & Grayum, all apparently endemic to central and southern Costa Rica at middle elevations on the Pacific slope, are described as new species. Monstera alfaroi is characterized by having warty light brown petioles with undulate sheaths, very large adul...
Tratamiento taxonómico de las 19 especies de Aristolochia (Aristolochiaceae) documentadas en Costa Rica, en el Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica, Volumen IV, Parte 1. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 137: 496−515. Este documento incluye una Fe de Erratas en la última página. / Taxonomic treatment of the 19 species of...
Two species of Monstera, apparently endemic to Costa Rica, are newly described and illustrated. Monstera juliusii occurs in the southern Costa Rican portion of the Cordillera de Talamanca at 1600-2250 m, and has been confused with M. standleyana in herbaria. Monstera monteverdensis occurs in the Guanacaste and Tilarán cordilleras, and the northwest...
Monstera deliciosa, one of the most
commonly cultivated aroids, is a
morphologically variable species and has
traditionally been considered native to
southern Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica
and Panama. We demonstrate that M.
tacanaensis, which naturally occurs in those
four countries and has been considered a
synonym of M. deliciosa, is a closely re...
Monstera croatii M.Cedeño & A.Hay and M. gambensis M.Cedeño &
M.A.Blanco (Araceae: Monsteroideae: Monstereae) are newly described and illustrated
from cantón Golfito in the Pacific lowlands of southern Costa Rica. Notes are provided
on how they can be differentiated from similar species. Monstera croatii is unique in
the genus because it reaches it...
Four species are documented for the first time for the Costa Rican flora: Anthurium curvispadix, Anthurium palosecense, Monstera integrifolia, Monstera spruceana. Two species are first documented for the Panamanian flora: Monstera costaricensis and Monstera epipremnoides.
Poor morphological and molecular differentiation in recently diversified lineages is a widespread phenomenon in plants. Phylogenetic relationships within such species complexes are often difficult to resolve because of the low variability in traditional molecular loci. Furthermore, biological phenomena responsible for topological incongruence such...
A large colony of duckweeds (Araceae: Lemnoideae) grows on the constantly wet, vertical wall of the rock shelter behind the Llanos de Cortés waterfall of the Potrero River, Guanacaste province, Costa Rica, the first such case ever documented. Its unique hygropetric environment is described. The colony covers several square meters distributed in sev...
Phragmipedium is a genus with 21 species restricted to the tropics and subtropics from Central and South America. As it is a genus capable of producing seeds from both self-and cross-pollinated flowers, it is an ideal group to investigate the components of its reproductive success. In this research, some of those components are described in P. long...
On April 11, 2019, Dr. William Mark Whitten, a prolific neotropical orchid biologist passed away unexpectedly. He leaves an extensive corpus of work focused on (but not limited to) orchid pollination and systematics, and over four thousand beautifully prepared herbarium specimens. Everyone that met Mark can agree that he was a wonderful human being...
Bauhinia proboscidea, a new species from Costa Rica and Panama, is described and illustrated, and compared to the closely related B. pansamalana of southern Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. It is also compared with B. beguinotii, with which has been confused in herbaria. Bauhinia gorgonae, endemic to Gorgona Island in Colombia and which has been cla...
Subtribe Spiranthinae is the most species-rich lineage of terrestrial Neotropical orchids, encompassing > 500 species and 40 genera. We conducted maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence data of plastid matK-trnK and trnL-trnF and nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences for 36 genera and 182 species of Spiranthinae plu...
Orchid conservation in a private preserve at Palmares, Costa Rica. Madre Verde Private Preserve, located in Palmares (Alajuela, Costa Rica) protects a forest relict surrounded by pastures, bushes and abandoned agriculture grounds. An inventory was conducted in this preserve to determine the orchid species diversity, prepare orchid illustration mate...
Mormodes salazarii (Orchidaceae, Catasetinae), a new species apparently endemic to Costa Rica, is described and illustrated. It is similar to M. fractiflexa because of its non-resupinate flowers, entire lip and revolute margins of sepals and petals, but differs from that species by its erect flowers (vs. pendulous) and strongly reflexed lateral sep...
Camaridium perezianum is described from the remnant cloud forests of Valle del Cauca Department (western range of the Andes, southwestern Colombia). This new species is most similar to C. nutantiflorum, from which it differs by its sub-rhombic- apically rounded labellum and by its ligulate- minutely trifid- basally papillose callus. The seemingly b...
Malaxis nana C. Schweinf. se conoce de dos especímenes recolectados en 1925 en San Ramón, provincia de Alajuela, y tres especímenes adicionales sin datos de localidad detallados y recolectados en los finales de los 1800’s, todos de Costa Rica. Esta especie no había sido registrada desde entonces. Aquí informamos por vez primera sobre la existencia...
Some of the most striking stem shapes occur in species of Bauhinia (Fabaceae) known as monkey ladder vines. Their mature stems are flattened and develop regular undulations. Although stems have variant (anomalous) secondary growth, the mechanism causing the undulations is unknown.
We measured stem segments over time (20 mo), described stem developm...
Four new species of Lockhartia are described and illustrated: L. compacta from Bolivia, L. endresiana from Costa Rica, L. rugosifolia from Ecuador and Peru, and L. tenuiflora from Ecuador and Colombia. Comments are given on their phenology, distribution, conservation status, and distinction from similar species. Resumen Se describen e ilustran cuat...
Background and Aims A significant proportion of orchid species assigned to subtribe Oncidiinae produce floral oil as a food reward that attracts
specialized bee pollinators. This oil is produced either by glabrous glands (epithelial elaiophores) or by tufts of secretory
hairs (trichomal elaiophores). Although the structure of epithelial elaiophores...
A relatively large and established population of Houttuynia cordata from Itatiaia National Park in Brazil represents the first record of naturalized Saururaceae in South America. Although the species is potentially invasive, unknown mechanisms have prevented its spread to other localities between 1940, when it was recorded in cultivation in Brazil,...
Twelve orchid species previously described in the genus Maxillaria are transferred to Camaridium, Heterotaxis, Inti, Pityphyllum, and Sauvetrea. In addition, 19 new heterotypic synonyms in the subtribe Maxillariinae are presented; these and a few others are discussed and/or typified.
Selbyana 31(1): 52-59. 2013.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2489427...
Compilation of unfinished manuscript by Eric A. Christenson (1956-2011), published posthumously. Edited by Patrica A. Harding, with assistance by Michael McIllmurray and Mario A. Blanco. 938 pages in two volumes, 21x 28 cm.
Published in 2012 by Patricia Ann Harding for Robert Christenson.
39127 Griggs Dr., Lebanon, OR, 97355 USA. patriciaorchids@gm...
After the publication of the most recent and comprehensive treatment of the Orchidaceae in the
Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica, new species continue being discovered in the country on a regular basis.
Novelties in Acianthera, Epidendrum, Lepanthes, Masdevallia, Pleurothallis, and Specklinia are discussed.
We present eight new records including the...
The type specimen of Maxillaria grandiflora (Kunth) Lindl. was collected by Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland during their scientific expedition to Tropical America. Its type locality, which has been the subject of confusion, is identified as a place on the eastern part of La Cruz municipality in the province of Nariño, Colombia. The type of...
A proposal to conserve the name Brasiliorchis R.B. Singer, Koehler and Carnevali (Orchidaceae: Maxillariinae) against Bolbidium Lindl. This proposal was later (2012) recommended by the Nomenclature Commitee for Vascular Plants of the IAPT (see Report of the Nomenclature Committee for Vascular Plants 64, in Taxon (2012) 61(5): 1108-117).
Phylogenetic relationships within the orchid subtribe Oncidiinae sensu Chase were inferred using maximum likelihood analyses of single and multilocus DNA sequence data sets. Analyses included both nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer DNA and plastid regions (matK exon, trnH-psbA intergenic spacer and two portions of ycf1 exon) for 736 indi...
The flowers of Lepanthes glicensteinii Luer are pollinated by male fungus gnats through pseudocopulation. These insects fly toward the plant from downwind, as if following a scent trail (probably a pheromone-mimicking substance). The gnat lands on the leaf and rapidly moves to its underside (where the flowers are presented), and mounts the flower....
Con más de 200 especies, la tribu de orquídeas Sobralieae es un componente importante de la riqueza florística de los neotrópicos. Actualmente esta tribu está constituída por cuatro géneros: Elleanthus, Epilyna, Sertifera, y Sobralia. Las plantas de éstos cuatro géneros generalmente producen tallos largos como cañas, pero difieren en forma drástica...
The taxonomy of Maxillaria and related genera ( Trigonidium, Cyrtidiorchis, Cryptocentrum, Pityphyllum, Heterotaxis, Inti, Nitidobulbon, Christensonella, Mapinguari, Brasiliorchis, Sauvetrea, Rhetinantha, Mormolyca, Ornithidium, Camaridium and Maxillariella) from Central America or South America, based mainly on morphological characteristics, is di...
Plastid DNA sequences have been widely used by systematists for reconstructing plant phylogenies. The utility of any DNA region
for phylogenetic analysis is determined by ease of amplification and sequencing, confidence of assessment in phylogenetic
character alignment, and by variability across broad taxon sampling. Often, a compromise must be mad...
McIllmurray y Oakeley (2004) demostraron que el nombre Maxillaria ramosa ha sido mal aplicado a Ornithidium pendulum desde 1967, y posiblemente corresponde a M. cassapensis. Referimos los nombres Ornithidium ochraceum, O. loefgrenii y Maxillaria spathulata a la sinonimia de O. pendulum (además de los sinónimos ya reconocidos O. dichotomum y Scaphyg...
Maxillaria bomboizensis is synonymized under Camaridium carinatum. Two previously published combinations based on Maxillaria bomboizensis (Camaridium bomboizense and Sauvetrea bomboizensis) are invalid. A complete synonymy is provided for Camaridium carinatum, and lectotypes are designated for its basionym Maxillaria carinata and its synonym Maxill...
Book Review. Published in Orchids Magazine 77: 705−706 (2008).
The orchid genus Maxillaria is one of the largest and most common of neotropical orchid genera, but its current generic boundaries and relationships have long been regarded as artificial. Phylogenetic relationships within subtribe Maxillariinae sensu Dressler (1993) with emphasis on Maxillaria s.l. were inferred using parsimony analyses of individu...
A recent phylogenetic analysis of four DNA regions for ca. 354 species of core Maxillariinae strongly indicate that the genus Maxillaria, as traditionally circumscribed, is grossly polyphyletic. We pre-sent a new phylogenetic classification for core Maxillariinae that recognizes 17 genera. Necessary realign-ments include: 1) resurrection of the gen...
Geonoma epetiolata is the only neotropical palm that exhibits substantial leaf mottling. This article provides a summary of its biology and conservation, some observations of natural populations and a discussion of the ecological role of leaf mottling.
PALMS 51: 139-146 (2007).
A new species from western Panama, Maxillaria curvicolumna M.A. Blanco & Neubig is described and illustrated. It is distinguished by its rhizomatous habit; small, ovoid pseudobulbs subtended by a pair of narrow leaves with purple-spotted sheaths; a single terminal leaf; and white flowers with a sigmoid column. Maxillaria silvana Campacci, originall...
The fruits of Maxillaria nardoides are fusiform, 1–1.2 × 0.3 cm. Upon
dehiscence, six valves separate completely at the apex, and a long cylindric mass
(up to 6.5 cm long × 3 mm in diameter) of white hygroscopic trichomes (elaters) is
extruded along with the seeds. This capillitium hangs limply from the fruit with its
base clamped by the three plac...
We describe the use of forced-air space heaters for drying herbarium specimens with a setup that is simpler, lighter, safer, and more economical than most previously described portable dryers. We have tested this method during collecting trips in the tropics with excellent results. Access to electricity and a rain-protected site are the only requir...
This is a review of the Orchidaceae treatment in the Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica, Volumen III.
Published in "Pleurothallid News and Views - The Official Publication of The Pleurothallid Alliance" 17(4): 26−30 (Fall 2005). Popular article summarizing scientific fingings of: Blanco MA & Barboza G. 2005. Pseudocopulatory pollination in Lepanthes (Orchidaceae: Pleurothallidinae) by fungus gnats. Annals of Botany 95: 763−772.
Lepanthes is one of the largest angiosperm genera (>800 species). Their non-rewarding, tiny and colourful flowers are structurally complex. Their pollination mechanism has hitherto remained unknown, but has been subject of ample speculation; the function of the minuscule labellum appendix is especially puzzling. Here, the pollination of L. glicenst...
A spontaneous hybrid between Aristolochia gorgona and A. grandiflora appeared at Lankester Botanical Garden, Costa Rica, where plants of both species were cultivated in close proximity. This indicates that geographic isolation maintains the genetic integrity of these two closely related species. The flower mor-phology of A. grandiflora is dominant...
ABSTRACT. Lepanthes gerardensis from north-central Costa Rica is described and illustrated. It is most similar
to the Mexican L. ancylopetala Dressler, from which it differs in shorter habit, petiolate leaves with
broadly elliptic blades, and different lip shape. It appears to be a specialized twig-epiphyte.
RESUMEN. Se describe e ilustra Lepanthes...
Aristolochia gorgona is described from the Atlantic watershed of Costa Rica and central and eastern Panama. It is similar toA. grandiflora Sw., with which it has been confused in the past. The extensive reported synonymy ofA. grandiflora is reviewed and compared with the new entity. Some new terms are proposed for better describing floral structure...
ABSTRACT. The occurrence of Cyclopogon obliquus (J.J. Sm.) Szlach. [= Pelexia obliqua (J. J. Sm.) Garay]
is reported for the first time in Costa Rica. Its taxonomic placement is discussed, and its current geographic
distribution is reviewed. Observations on its habitat, phenology and reproduction are presented.
RE S U M E N. Se presenta el primer i...
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S e d e s c r i b e e i l u s t r a S t e l l i l a b i u m s m a r a g d i n u m d e l o s b o s q u e s m o n t a n o s d e e n c i n o d e l a Cordillera de Talamanca. S. smaragdinum se distingue de otras especies de la sección Taeniorhachis por su inflorescencia con 1 a 3 (4) flores simultáneas, los lóbulos bas...
ABSTRACT. The taxonomic position of Myoxanthus Poepp. & Endl. (Orchidaceae: Pleurothallidinae) is discussed and Silenia Luer is maintained as a subgenus of Myoxanthus. A new species of Myoxanthus is described and illustrated. Myoxanthus vittatus Pupulin & M.A. Blanco is apparently endemic to the low, tropical wet forests of central Pacific Costa Ri...
Studies of epiphyll ecology have been hindered by the biochemical and morphological variability of the leaf substrate. The use of artificial (plastic ribbon tape) leaves solved that problem in a study done at the Braulio Carrillo National Park, Costa Rica. It showed that after nine months of field exposure, relative epiphyll cover was similar in fi...
