A new species of orchid, Pleurothallis machupicchuensis, has been discovered in the garden of the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. It was identified by a team of researchers from Inkaterra Asociación (ITA), the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Ecuadorian Biodiversity Institute (INABIO).
Achievements in orchid research and conservation
The small, epiphytic Machupicchuensis orchid thrives at altitudes between 2,000 and 2,500 meters and was identified during the Seventh Scientific Conference on Andean Orchids.
This discovery brings the number of new orchid species described in the hotel’s garden to 27, a significant contribution to global orchid research. “This discovery underscores the role of scientific work as a basis for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in Peru,” said José Koechlin, founder of Inkaterra and a pioneer of ecotourism in the country.
Targeted renaturation
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, part of the Green PearlsⓇ network, is located on the edge of the Machu Picchu World Heritage Site and is considered one of the most biodiverse complexes within urban boundaries. Since 1976, the original vegetation of the Andean cloud forest has been deliberately restored on the former agricultural land. Today, more than 370 species of native orchids grow in their natural habitat – the largest collection of its kind in the world, according to the American Orchid Society.
In addition to orchids, the area is home to 311 species of birds (recorded by eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) and 111 species of butterflies. The local biodiversity makes the hotel not only a hotspot for conservation research, but also a prime example of regenerative tourism.
Planned publication
The book “Machu Picchu: An Orchid Symphony” by biologist Benjamín Collantes is scheduled for publication in late 2025. It is a complex publication documenting 425 species of orchids in the region.