Human-Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) conflicts are increasing due to the establishment of livestock or crops near to its natural habitats. Here we report scavenging time patterns of Andean bears and the potential social scavenging behaviors in Choachí and Guasca municipalities, Cundinamarca department, buffer zone of Chingaza National Natural Park, Colombia. Between 2013-2015, we obtained 31 Andean bear scavenging events, allegedly related with human-bear conflict reports; most records occurred in Choachí municipality (n = 29). Daily scavenging behaviors showed a heterogeneous pattern, where bears prefer to scavenge in morning hours (6:00 h-10:00 h) with small activity in the afternoon (15:00 h-17:00 h). Furthermore, we report on the first potential record of social activity of three adults scavenging on the same carcass at the same time with no aggressive/antagonistic behaviors between the individuals. Most aspects of Andean bear wild behaviors are still unknown; our observations represent interesting additions to the natural history of the species that could also be included in future programs for the mitigation and reduction of conflicts with human communities in the Andean region of Colombia. Los conflictos Humano-Oso Andino (Tremarctos ornatus) han incrementado debido al establecimiento de sistemas ganaderos o de agricultura cercanos a sus hábitats naturales. Reportamos los patrones temporales de carroñeo de Osos Andinos y comportamientos potenciales de carroñeo social en los municipios de Choachí y Guasca, departamento de Cundinamarca, zona de amortiguamiento del Parque Nacional Natural Chingaza, Colombia. Entre los años 2013-2015, registramos 31 eventos de carroñeo por Oso Andino, reportados como eventos de conflicto Humano-Oso. La mayoría de los eventos ocurrieron en el municipio de Choachí (n = 29). Los comportamientos diarios de consumo de carroña mostraron un patrón heterogéneo, donde los osos prefieren carroñar en horas de la mañana (6:00 h-10:00 h) con poca actividad durante las horas de la tarde (15:00 h-17:00 h). Además, reportamos el primer registro potencial de comportamientos sociales de tres adultos, carroñando en el mismo cadáver a la misma hora, sin presentar comportamientos de agresividad / antagonismo entre los tres individuos. El conocimiento de los comportamientos de oso Andino en vida silvestre aún es incipiente o desconocido. Nuestras observaciones aportan al conocimiento de la historia natural de la especie, los cuales podrían ser incluidos en futuros programas para la mitigación y reducción de los conflictos con comunidades humanas en la zona andina de Colombia.

A new species of Lepanthes from southwestern Colombia is presented here. Lepanthes farallonensis belongs to the informal group “manabina”, which comprises species with concave and commonly pubescent leaves, flowers resting at the adaxial side of the leaves, and the synsepal with short to long tails. Lepanthes farallonensis is similar to L. smaragdina in the broadly ovate dorsal sepal but differs in the conspicuously twisted upper lobes of the petals, outwardly bent and a depression at the center of the laminae of the lip.

Four new species of Lepanthes from the southwestern Andes of Colombia are described, illustrated and compared with morphologically similar species. The new species were found in San José del Salado, the Municipality of Dagua, Department of Valle del Cauca where several new species have been found and described in the past years.

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Extensive fieldwork carried out on the Andean forests of Colombia resulted in the discovery of Lepanthes cordillerana, described here as a novel taxon. The new species is most similar to Lepanthes teres from Ecuador, from which it can be easily distinguished by the ciliated margins of the leaf, the oblong-acute lower lobe of the petals and the capitate, cuneate basally, apically caved, villose appendix. Despite its wide distribution across the three Colombian mountain ranges, a landscape analysis shows that 50% of the recorded wild populations of the endemic Lepanthes cordillerana are under threat of habitat loss and landscape fragmentation. Conservation efforts should be directed to reduce landscape scale threats to their populations.

A new species belonging to Masdevallia section Racemosae is described from South-Western Colombia. It is very similar to Masdevallia racemosa, the only other member of the section, with which it shares the characteristic repent habit, loose multi-flowered inflorescence, and striking red-orange flowers. However, Masdevallia mirandae can be distinguished by the adaxially hispid sepals and the elliptic petals with a rounded apex. The new species is restricted to The Farallones de Cali National Natural Park and its populations are threatened by illegal mining activities.

A new species of Pleurothallis from the Western Andes of Colombia is described and illustrated. The new species belongs to subsection Acroniae of the series Amphigyae, morphologically resembles Pleurothallis amphigya, but differs mainly by the ovate-lanceolate lip, with two divergent, elongate keels, located at the base up to about the middle of the lip (vs. triangular trilobed, the disc with a developed glenion at the base).

Pleurothallis subsection Macrophyllae-Fasciculatae is the most species-rich infrageneric grouping within this genus. Within this subsection, based on floral and vegetative morphology, we recognize the P. cardiostola-P. lilijae complex, an expansion of Luer's previously proposed subsection Cardiostolae. The nature of the two species P. cardiostola and P. lilijae is clarified here to allow comparison to an additional 24 possible members of the complex. Recognizing P. lanigera as distinct from P. cardiostola, and the other putative species as distinct from each other, brings the complex of previously described species to 26. In the process of reviewing living material and photographs of these species, as well as of the many plants misidentified as P. lilijae, it quickly became apparent that there are multiple undescribed species in this group. Six new species from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru are described herein. Each species is typified, described and illustrated, in most cases with a drawing, a composite digital plate, photos to show floral variability, and a scanning electron micrograph of the lip. Including these additional 6 species brings the P. cardiostola-P. lilijae complex to 32 members, which is both more numerous and more widely distributed than the P. cardiothallis-P. titan complex. One characteristic of species in this group is the copious production of nectar-like liquid on the lip and a prominent glenion.