Researchers have identified six new tree species after analyzing collections of dried plant specimens from the Neotropics. Among these, three species are exclusive to Panama: Matisia petaquillae, Matisia changuinolana, and Matisia aquilarum. The other three species found in Colombia are Matisia genesiana, Matisia mutatana, and Matisia rufula.
Plant collections can be quite astonishing. Determining the identity of plant samples may take many years, but it is worthwhile, particularly when these species are unique to our planet.
Botanists José Luis Fernández-Alonso from the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid and Ernesto Campos, a research technician at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama, have named six new tree species derived from comparisons of dried plant collections across the Neotropics. Out of these, Matisia petaquillae, Matisia changuinolana, and Matisia aquilarum have only been discovered in Panama. The new Colombian species from the same research include Matisia genesiana, Matisia mutatana, and Matisia rufula.
The first two species from Panama were named for their collection locations, while the third, Matisia aquilarum, found in Chagres National Park, was named due to the presence of a Harpy Eagle nest in the tree, noted by ornithologist Karla Aparicio and botanist Ruby Zambrano.
Botanists frequently gather a vast amount of plant samples. These samples are dried, pressed between cardboard, and mounted on specific paper for filing in herbaria, which are specialized collections of dried plants meticulously stored in climate-controlled environments for preservation. Many herbarium curators have now digitized images of specimens online, improving accessibility and knowledge sharing.
However, the precise identification of plant samples relies on experienced taxonomists. Specimens that are difficult to identify may remain unclassified for years until a specialist compares the collections from the region, ultimately deciding if a sample is a previously unrecognized species.
“In 2022, Fernández-Alonso confirmed the identification of another tree, Matisia tinamastiana, from Cerro Trinidad in the Altos de Campana Forest Reserve and National Park, marking a new addition for Panama,” Campos mentioned. “This discovery led to our ongoing collaboration.”
To determine this new group of species, Fernández-Alonso evaluated plant samples stored in herbaria located in Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, and the U.S. With help from Campos, revisions of collections at the University of Panama (PMA), Summit Canal Zone (SCZ) at STRI, and the Autonomous University of Chiriquà (UCH) were completed.
Thanks to the plant collections by STRI senior botanists Rolando Pérez and Salomón Aguilar, the range of Matisia aquilarum has been extended due to a specimen collected at a study site in Chagres National Park, part of the ForestGEO-STRI forest monitoring network. This additional specimen, which contributed to the species description, originated from STRI and was later registered in the SCZ herbarium, enhancing the representation of species within that collection.
“We are currently identifying more plant samples with the assistance of Joana Sumich, a technician from the SCZ herbarium. Some of these were collected decades ago by Pérez and Aguilar in the ForestGEO plots, and we suspect there may be additional new species within their collections that are either new to Panama or science,” said David Mitre.
To assist non-experts in identifying the plants in this category, the authors have included an updated dichotomous key of Matisia species for Panama in their publication. The last such key published for Panama was over fifty years ago.
“Herbaria are more than mere collections of dried plants,” emphasized David Mitre, research manager for ForestGEO-STRI in Panama. “They serve as a long-term source of new information.”
“Discoveries like these highlight the critical need to ensure protected areas are thoroughly safeguarded,” Mitre remarked. The forests of Panama and Colombia house numerous plant species essential not only to local wildlife but possibly also as sources of undiscovered pharmaceuticals and other resources.
“The Smithsonian’s plant collections and our skilled curators empower researchers globally to accurately identify plants,” stated Joshua Tewksbury, STRI Director. “This insight into plant diversity facilitates the discovery of new medicines and enables conservationists to advocate for the preservation of natural areas where rare species thrive.”
