IOSPE PHOTOS

Dracula velutina (Rchb. f.) Luer 1978 SUBGENUS Dracula SECTION Dracula SUBSECTION Dracula SERIES Parviflorae

Photo by © Eric Hunt

Lip Detail

Photo by © Gary Meyer and Chad Sarles and the Dracula Species Database

Drawing

Drawing by © Carl Luer

Common Name The Velvety Dracula

Flower Size 1.2" to 2.4" [3 x 6 cm]

Found in Antioquia department of Colombia in cloud forests as a small to just medium sized, cold to cool growing epiphyte with erect, stout ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 loose, tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, thinly coriaceous, carinate, narrowly elliptical-linear, acute, gradually narrowing below into the conduplicate base leaf that blooms in the winter, spring and fall on multiple, arising from low on the ramicaul,3 to 4" [7.5 to 10 cm] long, successively single, few [2] flowered inflorescence with a tubular, shorter than the pedicel floral bract.

"D velutina is the smallest-flowered member of the Dracula houtteana - Dracula psittacina complex. Identified by the slender leaves and a small, more or less cupped flower with slender tails commonly between .8 to 1.6" [2 to 4 cm]long, but forms with tails 2.4" [6 cm] or more long occur. The flowers are produces on few flowered peduncles, occasional clones prodicing no more than one flower per peduncle. The sepals are white, variously suffused with purple externally and the are densely short-pubescent within. The lip is pink and small. The central carina of the epichile is more or less verrucose and flanked by a smaller carina to either side as well as a fwe, incomplete fragments. The magins of the epichile are not involute, the central carina being higher along the margins. The epichile is more or less deflexed from the hypochile, sometimes at a 90 degreee angle, but most often at an angle of about 45 degrees." Luer 1993

Synonyms Dracula lactea (Kraenzl.) Luer 1978; Dracula microglochin (Rchb. f.) Luer 1978; Dracula trinema (Rchb. f.) Luer 1978; Masdevallia lactea Kraenzl. 1921; Masdevallia microglochin Rchb. f. 1886; Masdevallia trinema Rchb. f. 1886; *Masdevallia velutina Rchb. f. 1875

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Selbyana 2:198 Luer 1978; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 1 COS 1990 photo fide; The Illustratred Encyclopedia of Orchids Pridgeon, 1992; Thesaurus Dracularum Vol 6 Luer, Escobar and Dalstroem 1993 watercolor/drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum X Systematics of Dracula Luer 1993 drawing fide; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 5 COS 1994 photo fide; Manual of Orchids Stewart 1995; Orchid Digest Vol 61 #4 1997 photo fide; Flora's Orchids Nash & La Croix 2005 photo fide; Libro Rojo de Plantas De Colombia Vol 6 Primera Parte Saenz 2007 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 81 #11 2012 photo fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide; Orquideas del Valle de Aburra Medellin Colombia COS 2014 photo fide; Orchids, A Colombian Treasure Vol 1 Ortiz & Uribe 2014 drawing/photo fide;

Dracula velutina (Rchb. f.) Luer var. xanthina

and

Common Name The Velvety Dracula

Found in Colombia as a cold to cool growing epiphyte that blooms on multiple, 3 to 4" [7.5 to 10 cm] long, few [2] flowered inflorescence occuirng in the spring and summer. This is a rare yellow form of the species.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchid Digest Vol 61 #4 1997 as D velutina yellow form photo fide; Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide

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