New record of Encyclia bipapularis (Orchidaceae) in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba

Abstract

Encyclia bipapularis is one endemic orchid of Cuba. The species possesses a disruptive distribution throughout the country, with Camagüey and Cienfuegos like the central counties where it has been reported. In this work it registered a new locality for E. bipapularis, in the Wildlife Refuge Loma de Cunagüa, to the north of Ciego de Ávila. It constitutes the first discovery of the species in the county and it was in semidecidous forest. The initial sight was fortuitous and it came from a domestic house in Moron. The owner recognized to have stolen it from the protected area and after carrying out a search in the same one, only two more individuals were sighted, for what is inferred that the population is scarce. A new sampling effort with the active search of this species in areas of similar vegetation of the north of the county, will contribute to increase the probabilities of finding it or of finding other new registrations for this territory.