Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Ecuador

1. Department. The Pontificial Catholic University of Quito, Ecuador. Herbarium QCA holds the largest preserved plant collection in Ecuador with ~250,000 specimens, and is a scientific center for the study of Ecuadorian flora. The Herbarium QCA prioritizes research in palms of Ecuador. Through three decades, the institution has trained staff in the ecology, taxonomy and ethno-botany of palms.

2. Expertise. It has the best palm collection in Ecuador, which is carefully preserved and digitalized. Dissemination of scientific information has high priority, and a special program informs the public about flora and environment. During the last 25 years the Herbarium QCA has been counterpart of national and international projects, including EU funded projects. The institution has the human resources and the infrastructure (scientific stations, laboratories, modern IT) to achieve the goals and objectives of this project.

3. Main contributions of the team to the project: The group leads WP6 on policy issues related to trade and management of palm resources; participates in WP1, WP2 and WP8 on palm community ecology, genetic variation in palms, and dissemination of results.