Dr Marta Kolankowska from the Department of Geobotany and Plant Ecology of the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, the University of Łódź (UŁ), together with researchers Ramiro Medina Trejo and Dariusz Szlachetko, decided to dedicate a newly discovered orchid species to fighting Ukraine. The species name (Teuscheria falcon) is a reference to the song ‘Hey falcons’ known in both Poland and Ukraine.

The new orchid species was already discovered by a group of researchers in Colombia nearly two years ago, but due to the pandemic, the compilation of materials was delayed.

“While the paper describing the species was ready as early as February, we did not really have an idea for a name” admits Prof. Marta Kolanowska and adds that after the Russian attack on Ukraine, it was natural to want to show support for the Ukrainians. “We, as scientists, do not have the fighting capacity, so we decided to dedicate a new orchid species to the fighting Ukraine”.

„We found Teuscheria falcon in the Sibundoy Valley, where we are planning to create a private nature reserve and, in cooperation with the University of Łódź, set up a research station there”, says Prof. Marta Kolanowska.

“All the applications have already been submitted to the relevant authorities, and we have also raised funds to buy the land, so there is hope that more people will be able to see this species in the wild. The Sibundoy Valley is a very orchid-rich region. Perhaps it is rich in other hitherto unknown plant species, but no one is researching them there”, she adds.

Scientists disagree on the number of orchid species in the world. Some say that there are 27 000, others that 35 000. One thing is certain, every year new species is described, thanks in part to the work of a researcher from Łódź.

Adrian Andrzejewski