Professor Marta Kolanowska of the University of Łódź made the discovery during a research expedition to remote mountainous regions of Peru.
The plant, named Telipogon angelicus, has been dubbed the "angelic orchid" because of its unusual floral structure.
The orchid grows as an epiphyte, clinging to tree branches, in the harsh conditions of the high Andes.
Epiphytes are plants that live on the surface of another plant without harming it.
Its most distinctive feature is a delicate pair of wing-like structures on the labellum – a specialised petal – which attract pollinating insects, the scientist explained.
Prof Kolanowska told the Polish Press Agency PAP that she had never seen a labellum with such wings before.
"This orchid is truly exceptional, one of a kind, and its name is no coincidence."
Prof Kolanowska previously co-discovered Telipogon diabolicus – the so-called "devil orchid" – in southern Colombia, a critically endangered species whose flower resembles a devil's face.
"I had already described the 'devilish' orchid and dreamed of finding one that could be called 'angelic'," she said, joking that she had been missing "a balance between heaven and hell" in her discoveries.
"Now I have the full set."
Only one location of Telipogon angelicus is currently known, with the entire population occupying just a few trees in a remote and hard-to-access region of the Andes, more than 3,000 metres above sea level.
Future expeditions, however, may not necessarily reveal additional sites, Prof Kolanowska noted.
"We were hoping for the same after the discovery of Telipogon diabolicus, but so far no other location of this orchid has been found," she said.
Orchids from the Telipogon genus are extremely sensitive to environmental change, while attempts to cultivate them outside their natural habitat – even in greenhouse conditions – have so far failed.
"These orchids cannot survive beyond their native environment," Prof Kolanowska explained.
"Their reproduction depends on very specific pollinators and symbiotic fungi."
Despite having already described more than 400 orchid species, the scientist says she has no plans to retire anytime soon.
"There are still too many orchids left to discover," she said.
"Each new species is not just another name in a catalogue. Orchids are indicators of environmental health – where they thrive, the ecosystem is usually in good condition."
(ał)
Source: PAP, uni.lodz.pl