She compiled an extensive catalogue of the variations of the flower found in Costa Rica which became the seminal reference work on the family Orchidaceae in the country for over a decade.

Dora Emilia de los Angeles Mora Monge was born on 24 August 1939 in Cartago Province, Costa Rica.

Their work included identification of forty-six new genera and four hundred sixty-seven new species identified since Paul Standley had published Flora of Costa Rica.

[13] In 1989, her work with other scientists led to the inclusion of 300 illustrations of Costa Rican orchids, of which most samples were found in the Lankester Garden, in the series Icones Plantarum Tropicarum.

[8] A year before her death de Retana was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, [14] which prompted her retirement.