Medicinal Orchids of South America

Abstract

Ethnobotanical study of orchids in South America is hampered by the fact that fewer than 200 conquistadors brought diseases which annihilated the Inca and other ancient civilizations. Without written languages nor the survival of learned elders, it is unlikely that medicinal knowledge can be successfully transmitted. There is data on only 30 properly identified 25 medicinal orchid species and a handful of orchids not identified to species level in the entire continent of South America in the English literature. They are described. The pecularities of rural Andean tribal medicine is also discussed.