Masdevallia decumana Koniger 1982 SUBGENUS Masdevallia SECTION Masdevallia SUBSECTION Caudatae Veitch 1889
Photos by © Lourens Grobler
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Common Name The Large Flowered Masdevallia
Flower Size 1.6 to 2.4" [4 to 6 cm]
Found Ecuador and Peru in cloud forests at elevations of 1000 to 2500 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte with a blackish, slender, erect ramicaul enveloped basally by 2 to 3 tubular sheaths carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, obtuse to rounded leaf that is cuneate below into the petiole and blooms in the winter on a slender, suberect, 2 to 2 1/4" [5 to 6] cm long, erect inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul with a bract near the base and a floral bract that has a solitary flower held below or just at leaf height.
This plant is a cold to cool growing species that likes high humidity, shade, good air circulation and potted in a chopped mixture of tree fern, fir bark, perlite and sphagnum moss that is forever kept moist.
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 55 No 2 1986 photo fide Systematics of Masdevallia Vol 2 Luer 1986; AOS Bulletin Vol 64 No 7 1995 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 60 #3 1996 photo fide; Orchids Australia Vol 10 No 6 1998 photo; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXIII Systematics of Masdevallia Part 4 Luer 2002 drawing fide; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 3 Dodson 2002 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 74 No 4 2005 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 72 No 4 2008 photo fide; Orchid Species of Peru Zelenko Bermudez 2009 photo fide; Orchidaceae Masdevallia and Affiliates Dodson & Luer 2009 drawing fide; Orquideas del Peru Freuler 2010 photo fide; Las Orquideas del Peru Izerskyy & Bezverhov 2011 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 78 #4 2014 photo fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 84 #4 2015 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 86 # 1 2017 photo fide;
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