Masdevallia constricta Poepp.& Endl. 1837 SUBGENUS Masdevallia SECTION Masdevallia SUBSECTION Saltatrices [Rchb.f] Luer 1986
Photos by © Jay Pfahl
Photos by © Eric Hunt
Photo by © Ron Hanko
Common Name The Constricted Masdevallia [refers to the elongate compressed sepaline tube]
Flower Size 1 1/2" [4 cm]
Found in Ecuador and Peru in wet montane forests on old trees elevations of 1200 to 1800 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing caespitose epiphytic species is with short, inconspicuous ramicauls hidden by basal, tubular, overlapping bracts with a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, oblong-oblanceolate, tapered to the channeled base leaf with a tridentate apex and blooms with a slender, suberect, 3" [8 cm] long, longer than the leaves, single flowered inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul with a bract above the base and a floral bract holding the flower just above the leaves and all occuring in the fall through winter.
A major distinguishing factor in this species is the floral tube that is constricted at the middle.
The First 2 photos by Jay Pfahl illustrate what is known best as M constricta with a wider opening to the sepaline tube. The 2 photos by Eric Hunt are more what has been considered M urosalpinx with a much more narrow opening to the sepaline tube.
Synonyms Masdevallia urosalpinx Luer 1979
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Systematics of Masdevallia Vol 2 Luer 1986; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Systematics of Masdevallia Vol 2 Luer 1986 as Masdevallia urosalpinx drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 56 No 11 1987 as M urosalpinx photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum Peruviarum Plate 292 Bennett & Christenson 1995 drawing fide; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 as M aff constricta photo fide; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 as M cf urosalpinx photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXIII Systematics of Masdevallia Part 4 Luer 2002 drawing fide; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 3 Dodson 2002 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXIII Systematics of Masdevallia Part 4 Luer 2002 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 72 No 8 2003 as M urosalpinx photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 72 No 4 2008 photo fide; AOS Bulletin vol 78 No 11 2009 photo fide; Orchid Species of Peru Zelenko Bermudez 2009 photo fide; Orchidaceae Masdevallia and Affiliates Dodson & Luer 2009 photo/drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 81 #11 2012 photo fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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