Masdevallia oscitans (Luer) Luer 1998 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules [Krzl.] Luer 1986
Photo courtesy of Andy's Orchids Copyright © 2002 All rights reserved.
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
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Common Name The Gaping Masdevallia [refers to the wide open flower]
Flower Size 2" [5 cm]
Found in Brazil without locational data as a miniature sized, hot to cool growing epiphyte, with stout, erect ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 tubular sheaths carrying, clumping, 5", erect, coriaceous, narrowly elliptical, subacute leaf that is narrowly cunaete into the petiole which blooms on a slender, arising from low on the ramicaul with a basal bract, erect, triquetrous, 4 to 6 3/5" [10 to 16.5 cm] long, successively many, single flowering inflorescence and thin, imbricating, shorter than the pedicel floral bracts holding the flowers well above the leaf.
"Closely related to M infracta with the dorsal sepal connate to the lateral sepals for no more than half its length into a comparitively short, gaping, cylindrical tube. In all other forms and varieties of M infracta the dorsal sepal is more deeply connate to the latearal sepals so that a deeply cupped sepaline tail is created. In addition a slender peduncle longer than the leaves is not usually seen in M infracta and the tail of the dorsal sepal is not reflexed." Luer 2000
The inflorescence often last for two seasons, bear 2" brownish orange flowers with short lateral tails occuring in the winter, spring and summer.
Synonyms Alaticaulia oscitans (Luer) Luer 2006; Masdevallia infracta subsp. oscitans Luer 1988
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Lindleyana 3:37, 1988 as M infracta subsp. oscitans drawing fide; * Icones Pleurothallidinarum XVII Systematics of subgen. Pleurothallis sect. Abortivae sect. Truncatae sect. Pleurothallis subsect. Acroniae subsect. Pleurothallis subgen. Dracontia subgen. Unciferia Addenda to Dracula, Lepanthes, Masdevallia, Porroglossum, and Scaphosepalum Luer 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 Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Alaticaulia oscitans;
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