Lorena Endara

Lorena Endara is a Curator of the Clemson Herbarium and Lecturer at Clemson University since August 2021. She holds a Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Florida (2013) and a BSc in Biological Sciences from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador (2000). Her research focuses on orchid systematics, speciation patterns, and biodiversity conservation, particularly in Ecuador's Andes and Amazon regions.

Her professional roles include postdoctoral positions with NSF-funded projects (2013–2020), adjunct lectureships at the University of Florida (2020–2021), and extensive fieldwork in orchid ecology and conservation. She has received multiple grants and fellowships, including NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants and Orchid Conservation Alliance funding.

Endara has taught courses such as Plant Diversity, Practical Plant Taxonomy, and Plant in Human Affairs at Clemson and the University of Florida. She actively reviews for journals like Systematic Botany and Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, and serves on the IUCN Orchid Specialist Group.

Her field experience includes studies on Scaphosepalum phylogeny in Ecuador, pollination ecology of Dracula species, and chemical analysis of floral scents in palms. She has also contributed to CITES evaluations of orchid trade and Ecuador's national orchid conservation initiatives.