UNLOCKING THE ORCHIDACEAE COLLECTION OF THE “D. BRANDZA” HERBARIUM (BUC): A STUDENT-DRIVEN COLLABORATIVE EFFORT

This paper presents the specimens belonging to the Orchidaceae family housed in the Herbarium of the Botanic Garden “D. Brandza”, University of Bucharest (BUC), in an effort to support fellow botanists and encourage new research initiatives. All specimens were digitized and the information on the labels was logged in the herbarium database, with the help of student volunteers. This collection contains 602 specimens belonging to 21 genera and 64 species, among which two species are of community interest (Natura 2000). The specimens were gathered by 74 collectors, between 1901 and 2023. The data extracted will hopefully provide valuable insights into Romania’s biodiversity