The high Andean forests harbor great and unique biodiversity. Here, we report a new species of Epidendrum from Peru. Epidendrum alejandrinae is described, illustrated and compared with the morphologically similar Epidendrum ochoae, Epidendrum pachydiscum and Epidendrum aida-alvareziae. We performed a systematic review of herbarium information on the species reported for the Region of Huancavelica and compared the morphological features of the closest species to rule out possible matches. The new species is characterized by a short, foliate aggregate stems, an apical pendulous inflorescence formed from the stem, green resupinate flowers opening in succession, the petals and sepals semi-extended, a 3-lobed lip, lateral lobes obliquely ovoid, median lobe broadly cuneate, bicallose, and four, obovoid, laterally compressed pollinia. The novelty represents an important record for the flora associated with the high Andean forest dominated by Polylepis and Gynoxys in central Peru.

Polylepis albicans Pilger (Rosaceae) is restricted to the Cordillera Blanca in Ancash and La Libertad, northwestern Peru. Here, we report the occurrence of a new population of the species in Huancavelica, central Peru. We analyzed its morphology and compared samples of the new record with samples collected from the Cordillera Blanca, where the main populations of the species are concentrated. We discuss the complex patterns of the geographic distribution P. albicans and the implications for its conservation.

We present a synopsis of the species of the genus Epidendrum belonging to Soratae subgroup, Scabrum group in Peru. Information on their distribution, elevation ranges, phenology, and conservation status in Peru is provided. For this purpose, we conducted a review of herbarium plant material, the AMO-DATA herbarium database, and the original publications of the species. We recorded 27 species with the greatest species richness in the eastern cordillera from north to south and the highest concentration of endemic species in the central region of the Peruvian Andes. Epidendrum centralense is described and illustrated as a new species and compared with Epidendrum soratae, which is the closest species. The new species differs mainly in the color of the flowers that are green-brown with an irregular red brown tinge, the length and shape of the leaves that are 2.0–2.5 cm long, lanceolate, obtuse, the cuniculus forming a small vesicle in the pedicel, and the size and shape of the lip that is 3.1–4 × 5 mm, transversely reniform and apically obtuse. The new species represents an important record for the flora associated with the high elevation Andean Forest of Polylepis from central Peru. We provide a key to the Peruvian members of Epidendrum belonging to the Soratae subgroup.