María José Sanín
Palm Biologist
305-667-3800 ext. 104
mjsanin@montgomerybotanical.org
11901 Old Cutler Road
Miami, FL 33156 USA
María José Sanín is the Palm Biologist at Montgomery Botanical Center. She previously worked as faculty at Universidad CES in Medellin, Colombia and at Arizona State University, Phoenix. She joined MBC in 2025. She is co-chair for the Species Survival Committee of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature for the Palm Specialist Group.
María José’s main research interests are palm population ecology and evolution. She uses population censuses, natural history observations and genomic data sets to understand how populations originate and persist in time. Her research prioritizes using newly generated data to improve conservation plans and actions for endangered species. She is also highly invested in education through research, not only for undergraduate and graduate students but everyone involved in the observation and conservation of nature, whether its landowners, environmental managers, or plant enthusiasts.
Her primary roles at MBC are the continued development of the palm collection and collaborating to advance ways in which the palm collection can be used for research and conservation through collaborative work.
Doctor of Philosophy in Science – Biology
Ecology and Evolution of Ceroxylon (Areceaceae: Ceroxyloideae)
Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá
Master of in Science – Biology
Systematics of Ceroxylon (Areceaceae: Ceroxyloideae)
Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá
Bachelor of Biology
Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín
Publications & Research
Selected Recent Research
[Supervised students, underlined]
SANÍN, M.J., CARDONA, A., CÉSPEDES-ARIAS, L.N., GONZÁLEZ-ARANGO, C., PARDO, N. & C.D. CADENA. 2024. Volcanoes, evolving landscapes, and evolutionary processes in Neotropical mountains. Frontiers of Biogeography 16.1, e61882.
CARVALHO-MADRIGAL, S., & SANÍN, M.J. 2024. The role of introgressive hybridization in shaping the geographically isolated gene pools of wax palm populations (genus Ceroxylon). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 108013.
SANÍN, M.J., BORCHSENIUS, F., PARIS, M., CARVALHO-MADRIGAL, S., GÓMEZ HOYOS, A.C., CARDONA, A., ARCILA MARÍN, N., OSPINA, Y., HOYOS-GÓMEZ, S.E., MANRIQUE, H.F., BERNAL, R. 2022. The Tracking of moist habitats allowed Aiphanes (Arecaceae) to cover the elevation gradient of the Northern Andes. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13.
SANIN, M.J., CARDONA, A., VALENCIA-MONTOYA, W.A., TORRES JIMÉNEZ, M.F., CARVALHO-MADRIGAL, S., GÓMEZ, A.C., BACON, C.D., ROQUEMEN TANGARIFE, T., JARAMILLO, J.S., ZAPATA, S., VALENCIA, V., ARBOLEDA VALENCIA, J.W., VARGAS, V., PARIS, M. 2022. Volcanic events coincide with plant dispersal across the Northern Andes. Global and Planetary Change, 210, 103757.
CARREÑO-BARRERA, J., NÚÑEZ-AVELLANEDA, L.A., SANÍN, M.J. & MAIA, A.C.D. 2020. Orchestrated flowering and interspecific facilitation: key factors in the maintenance of the main pollinator of coexisting threatened species of andean wax palms (Ceroxylon spp.). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 105 (3): 281-299.
CHACÓN-VARGAS, K., GARCÍA-MERCHÁN, VH., & M.J. SANÍN. 2019. From keystone species to conservation: conservation genetics of wax palm Ceroxylon quindiuense in the largest wild populations of Colombia and selected neighboring ex situ plant collections. Biodiversity and Conservation 1-20 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-019-01882-w).
SANÍN, M.J., ZAPATA, J.P., PINTAUD, J.C., GALEANO, G., BOHÓRQUEZ, A., TOHME, J. & M.M. HANSEN. 2017. Up and down the blind alley: population divergence with scant gene flow in an endangered tropical lineage of Andean palms (Ceroxylon quindiuense clade: Ceroxyloideae). Journal of Heredity, 108(3): 288-298.
SANÍN, M.J., ANTHELME, F., PINTAUD, J.C., GALEANO, G. & R. BERNAL. 2013. Juvenile resilience and adult longevity explain residual populations of the Andean wax palm Ceroxylon quindiuense after deforestation. PLoSONE 8(10): e74139. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0074139.
SANÍN, M.J. & G. GALEANO. 2011. A revision of the Andean Wax Palms, Ceroxylon, Phytotaxa 34:1-64.
Full List of Peer Reviewed Research
[Supervised students, underlined]
OSPINA, A., MAIA, A., SANÍN, M.J., CARDONA, J. 2024. The sweet path of Hansel and Gretel: pollination system of Masdevallia hortensis Luer & R. Escobar (Orchidaceae: Pleurothallidinae) in a cloud montane forest of the Cordillera Occidental, in Colombia. Plant Systematics and Evolution, 310(43): 2-15.
COUVREUR, T. JIJON, N., MONTUFAR, R., MORALES-MORALES, P., SANÍN, M.J., COPETE, J.C., LOZINGUEZ, A., PÉREZ, A., BEECH, E. 2024, Diversity and conservation status of palms (Arecaceae) in two hotspots of biodiversity in Colombia and Ecuador. Plants, People, Planet, 6:885–901.
SANÍN, M.J., CARDONA, A., CÉSPEDES-ARIAS, L.N., GONZÁLEZ-ARANGO, C., PARDO, N. & C.D. CADENA. 2024. Volcanoes, evolving landscapes, and evolutionary processes in Neotropical mountains. Frontiers of Biogeography 16.1, e61882.
CARVALHO-MADRIGAL, S., & SANÍN, M.J. 2024. The role of introgressive hybridization in shaping the geographically isolated gene pools of wax palm populations (genus Ceroxylon). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 108013.
OLIVARES, I., TUSSO, S., SANIN, M.J., KESSLER, M., & SHIMIZU, K.K. 2023. Hyper-Cryptic Radiation of a Tropical Montane Plant Lineage. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 190.
CORREA-AGUDELO, V., SANÍN, M.J., D.J. TUBERQUIA. 2023. High Andean Forest – paramo treeline: composition, structure, and physiognomy of the vegetation in the Cordillera Central of Colombia Caldasia, 45(1): 174-186.
ARAYA-DONOSO, R., BATY, S. M., ALONSO-ALONSO, P., SANÍN, M. J., WILDER, B. T., MUNGUIA-VEGA, A., & DOLBY, G. A. 2022. Implications of barrier ephemerality in geogenomic research. Journal of Biogeography, 00, 1– 14.
SANÍN, M.J., BORCHSENIUS, F., PARIS, M., CARVALHO-MADRIGAL, S., GÓMEZ HOYOS, A.C., CARDONA, A., ARCILA MARÍN, N., OSPINA, Y., HOYOS-GÓMEZ, S.E., MANRIQUE, H.F., BERNAL, R. 2022. The Tracking of moist habitats allowed Aiphanes (Arecaceae) to cover the elevation gradient of the Northern Andes. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13.
SANIN, M.J., MEJÍA-FRANCO, F.G., PARIS, M., VALENCIA-MONTOYA, W.A., SALAMIN, N., KESSLER, M., OLIVARES, I., JARAMILLO, J.S., CARDONA, A. 2022. Geogenomics of montane palms points to Miocene–Pliocene Andean segmentation related to strike‐slip tectonics. Journal of Biogeography, 49: 1711-1725.
SANIN, M.J., CARDONA, A. VALENCIA-MONTOYA, W.A., TORRES JIMÉNEZ, M.F., CARVALHO-MADRIGAL, S., GÓMEZ, A.C., BACON, C.D., ROQUEMEN TANGARIFE, T., JARAMILLO, J.S., ZAPATA, S., VALENCIA, V., ARBOLEDA VALENCIA, J.W., VARGAS, V., PARIS, M. 2022. Volcanic events coincide with plant dispersal across the Northern Andes. Global and Planetary Change, 210, 103757.
CASTILLO, S., R. BERNAL, C.L. MATALLANA, T. WALDRÓN, B. MARTÍNEZ, H. GARCÍA, J. E. PARRA, M.J. SANÍN, C. CARVAJAL, F. POVEDA, A F. ZULUAGA. 2021. Tochecito: una oportunidad de conservación de nuestro árbol nacional. Ficha bio 406, Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Bogotá.
ALEGRÍA-ORTEGA , A., SANÍN M.J., QUAN-YOUNG L.I., LONDOÑO-MESA M.H. 2021. Genetic structure of Orbicella faveolata populations reveal high connectivity among a Marine Protected Area and Varadero reef in the Colombian Caribbean. Aquatic Conservation, 1-13.
CARREÑO-BARRERA, J., NÚÑEZ-AVELLANEDA, L.A., SANÍN, M.J. & MAIA, A.C.D. 2020. Orchestrated flowering and interspecific facilitation: key factors in the maintenance of the main pollinator of coexisting threatened species of andean wax palms (Ceroxylon spp.). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 105 (3): 281-299.
CHACÓN-VARGAS, K., GARCÍA-MERCHÁN, VH., & M.J. SANÍN. 2019. From keystone species to conservation: conservation genetics of wax palm Ceroxylon quindiuense in the largest wild populations of Colombia and selected neighboring ex situ plant collections. Biodiversity and Conservation 1-20 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-019-01882-w).
BERNAL, R., BORCHSENIUS, F., HOYOS-GÓMEZ, S.E., MANRIQUE, H.F., & M.J. SANIN. 2019. A revision of the Aiphanes parvifolia complex (Arecaceae). Phytotaxa 411 (4): 275-292.
BERNAL, R. CASTAÑO, F., & M.J. SANÍN. 2019. A new, overlooked species of Aiphanes (Arecaceae) from Santander Colombia. Phytotaxa 405 (2). 101-105.
LOISEAU, O., (…) MEJÍA-FRANCO, F.G., (…) M.J. SANÍN, (…)M. KESSLER & N. SALAMIN. 2019. Targeted capture of hundreds of nuclear genes unravels phylogenetic relationships of the diverse Neotropical palm tribe Geonomateae. Frontiers in Plant Science, section Plant Systematics and Evolution. Manuscript ID: 448082.
BERNAL, R., B. MARTÍNEZ & M.J. SANÍN. 2018. The world’s tallest palms. Palms 62: 5-16.
MARTÍNEZ, B., M.J. SANÍN, L.S. CASTILLO, R. LÓPEZ & R. BERNAL. 2018. Sex change in the dioecious palm Ceroxylon quindiuense (Arecaceae). Ecology, 99 (6): 1501-1506. DOI 10.1002/ecy.2171.
ARISTIZÁBAL, A., TUBERQUIA, D. & M.J. SANÍN. 2017. Conservation genetics of two highly endangered and poorly known species of Zamia (Zamiaceae: Cycadales) in Colombia. Journal of Heredity. DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esx110
SANÍN, M.J., ZAPATA, J.P., PINTAUD, J.C., GALEANO, G., BOHÓRQUEZ, A., TOHME, J. & M.M. HANSEN. 2017. Up and down the blind alley: population divergence with scant gene flow in an endangered tropical lineage of Andean palms (Ceroxylon quindiuense clade: Ceroxyloideae). Journal of Heredity, 108(3): 288-298.
SANÍN, M.J., KISSLING, W.D., BACON, C.D., BORCHSENIUS , F., GALEANO, G., SVENNING, J.C., OLIVERA, J., RAMÍREZ, R., TRÉNEL, P. & J.C. PINTAUD. 2016. The Neogene rise of the Northern Andes triggered species diversification through geographic colonization and climatic niche differentiation. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 182(2): 303-317.
SANÍN, M.J., ANTHELME, F., PINTAUD, J.C., GALEANO, G. & R. BERNAL. 2013. Juvenile resilience and adult longevity explain residual populations of the Andean wax palm Ceroxylon quindiuense after deforestation. PLoSONE 8(10): e74139. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0074139.
BERNAL, R. & M.J. SANÍN. 2013. The palm stands of Ceroxylon quindiuense (Arecaceae) at the Cocora Valley, Quindío: conservation perspectives of a scenic icon of Colombia. Colombia Forestal, 16(1): 67-79.
SANÍN, M.J. & G. GALEANO. 2011. A revision of the Andean Wax Palms, Ceroxylon, Phytotaxa 34:1-64.
GALEANO, G., M.J. SANÍN, J.C. PINTAUD & B. MILLÁN. 2008. Novelties in the genus Ceroxylon (Arecaceae) from Peru. Revista Peruana de Botánica, 15(1): 65-72.
BOOKS
BERNAL, R. GALEANO, G. & M.J. SANÍN. 2015. Plan de conservación, manejo y uso sostenible de la palma de cera del Quindío (Ceroxylon quindiuense), Árbol Nacional de Colombia. Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible; Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 80 p. Title translation: Plan for the conservation, management and sustainable use of the Quindio wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense), Colombia’s National Tree.
BOOK CHAPTERS
SANÍN, M.J., BOLÍVAR, L.M. & D.J. TUBERQUIA. 2017. Conservación de palmas de los bosques de niebla en Antioquia. Pp. 159-164. En: Quintero Vallejo, E., Benavides, A.M., Moreno, N., González-Caro, S. (Eds). Bosques Andinos, estado actual y retos para su conservación en Antioquia. Fundación Jardín Botánico de Medellín Joaquín Antonio Uribe – Programa Bosques Andinos (COSUDE). 1 Ed. – Medellín, 2018. 542 págs.
PINTAUD, J.C., MONTÚFAR, R., ANTHELME, F. & M.J. SANÍN. 2015. Patrones genéticos y ecológicos de las palmas: La influencia humana, en Balslev, H., Macía, M. J., & H. Navarrete (eds.) Cosecha de Palmas en el noreste de Suramérica: bases científicas para su manejo y conservación. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Ecuador, 297 pp.
SANÍN, M.J. 2013. La palma de cera de la zona cafetera (Ceroxylon alpinum). Pp. 154-158. En: Bernal R & G Galeano (Eds). Cosechar sin Destruir – Aprovechamiento sostenible de palmas colombianas. Facultad de Ciencias – Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. 244 pp.
SANÍN, M.J. 2013. La palma de cera del Quindío (Ceroxylon quindiuense). Pp. 159-164. En: Bernal R & G Galeano (Eds). Cosechar sin Destruir – Aprovechamiento sostenible de palmas colombianas. Facultad de Ciencias – Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. 244 pp.
Field Experience
Colombia
2003-2013; 2015-present
Peru
2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013
Ecuador
2004, 2010, 2012, 2013
Venezuela
2012
Bolivia
2009, 2013
United States
2021-present
Science Outreach & Communications
Documentaries
Co-authored the initial proposal, conducted fieldwork and appear in the production of a documentary entitled Expedición Tribugá, aimed at building awareness of the biological wealth and need for protection of the Tribuga Gulf in the Tumbes-Choco-Magdalena Biodiversity Hotspot.
Participated in Zafire (Endémica Estudios) about the importance of integrating women’s and native communities’ perspectives in biodiversity science and conservation of the Amazon Rain Forest.
Call to Earth (CNN) and Reconnect Colombia (CNN) featured two short documentaries on our quest for the conservation of Colombia’s National Tree, Ceroxylon quindiuense.
News Articles
The New York Times (front page): about our work to promote the establishment of a protected area for the largest population on Earth of Colombia’s National Tree (access here).