A data set of vascular epiphytes of Colombia: the importance of biological records

Abstract

Colombia is globally recognized as one of the world’s hotspots for vascular epiphytes, particularly orchids, ferns, and bromeliads, owing to its exceptional topographic complexity and climatic diversity. Biological records are essential for taxonomic research and biodiversity assessment, yet public databases often present taxonomic inconsistencies and low spatial resolution. Here, we present two complementary datasets of vascular epiphytes in Colombia. The first is a comprehensive species list including 6396 taxa, compiled from five major sources: national and regional floras (Colombia and Antioquia), a fern specialist checklist, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF; an open-access international infrastructure that aggregates and standardizes biodiversity occurrence records from institutions worldwide), and EpiList 1.0 (a global checklist of vascular epiphytes integrating taxonomic concepts and distribution information across major lineages). The second is a curated occurrence dataset containing approximately 726,000 records, published by multiple institutions through GBIF, documenting 5,091 species across 66 families, including 1348 endemics of Colombia. Post-processing included spatial accuracy checks, taxonomic validation, and synonym standardization to ensure data quality and usability. Given the frequent misclassification of plant life forms in biodiversity repositories, this curated dataset offers a robust reference for mapping epiphyte distributions and studying biogeographic patterns in the Neotropics. It provides a solid foundation for ecological and conservation research, enhancing biodiversity monitoring and informing conservation strategies in one of the world’s most species-rich regions. By improving data accuracy and accessibility, this resource also facilitates the integration of epiphytes into broader studies of ecosystem function and resilience.