Masdevallia bryophila Luer 1996 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules [Krzl.] Luer 1986
Photo by © Lourens Grobler
Photo courtesy of Eric Hunt Copyright © 2005 All rights reserved.
TYPE Drfawing © Carl Luer
Common Name The Moss Loving Masdevallia
Flower Size .2" wide [5 mm]
Found in Amazonas department of Peru at elevations around 1600 meters as a small sized, cool growing epiphyte with a stout, erect ramicaul enveloped basally by 2 to 3 tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, petiolate, elliptical, obtuse leaf with the base cuneate into the petiole that blooms in the fall on an erect, arising from low on the ramicaul, sharply triquetrous, purple spotted [the M trechsliniana form has a clear green inflorescence], successively single, few flowered inflorescence and having a tubular, shorter than the pedicel floral bract.
"Distinguished by the tall, strict, sharply triquetrous, purple-spotted peduncle that bears a successively few flowered raceme. The flower is large with the long, deep-purple synsepal sulcate centrally as well as lateral to a longitudinal convexity along the midvein on either side. From the short sepaline tube the dorsal sepal points forward with a long slender tail. The synsepal is shallowly concave below the middle and convex on either side above the middle forming the narrow, central channel above the fork into acute apices with slender tails shorter than the lamina. The petals are white and expanded below the middle. The lip is divided by prominent marginal folds above the middle. The epichile is markedly papillose and recurved." Luer 2000
Synonyms Alaticaulia bryophila (Luer) Luer 2006; Masdevallia trechsliniana Königer & J.Meza 1997
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; A Treasure of Masdevallia Vol 23 Luer & Dalstroem 1998 drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XIX Systematics of Masdevallia Part 1 Luer 2000 drawing fide; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXVIII Luer 2006 as Alaticaulia bryophila; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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