Species delimitation in Vanda sect. Cristatae Lindl. (Orchidaceae): A morphological approach

Species are arguably artificial units used for a variety of purposes, including classification, identification, and conservation, and authors have used different criteria for delimiting new species. With more than 25,000 species already named and described in the Orchidaceae (often based on single or very few characters) and limited time and funding for conservation, priorities must be set to target resources. Ideally, observable morphological differences should distinguish genetically meaningful species. A morphometric study of five species in Vanda section Cristatae (syn. Trudelia Garay) suggests three morphometrically distinct species groups.