Orchidaceae of Prainha Municipal Natural Park, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

The Orchidaceae species that occur in Prainha Municipal Natural Park are presented. The Park is located in Rio de Janeiro Municipality and has126 hectares. Park vegetation is mainly Atlantic Rain Forest, with a small portion of sandy coastal plain vegetation and several rocky outcrops. Eighteen genera and 26 species of Orchidaceae were found in the area: Bifrenaria (1 sp.), Brassavola (1 sp.), Catasetum (1 sp.), Cattleya (2 sp.), Cyclopogon (1 sp.), Cyrtopodium (2 sp.), Eltroplectris (1 sp.), Epidendrum (4 sp.), Gomesa (1 sp.), Isochilus (1 sp.), Maxillaria (2 sp.), Oeceoclades (1 sp.), Oncidium (1 sp.), Pleurothallis (3 sp.), Polystachya (1 sp.), Prescottia (1 sp.), Sarcoglottis (1 sp.) and Sophronitis (1 sp.). Several species are widely distributed geographically, but 14 occur only in the Atlantic Rain Forest domain. A species key, descriptions, illustrations, and comments on life form, flowering and fruiting, geographic distributions and habitats are included.

orchids; Atlantic Rain Forest; taxonomy; flora