Masdevallia plynophora Luer 2003 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules [Krzl.] Luer 1986
Photos by © Ron Parsons and his Flower Shots Orchid Photo Website
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Washtub Carrying Masdevallia [refers to the basin-like synsepal]
Flower Size 1.2" [3 cm]
Found in Amazonas department of Peru at elevations around 2300 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with stout, erect ramicauls enveloped by 2 to 3, loose, tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, thickly coriaceous, elliptical, obtuse, narrowly cuneate below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the fall on a stout, arising from low on the ramicaul, suberect, triquetrous, 12 to 16" [30 to 40 cm] long, subcongested, successively flowered inflorescence with a foliaceous, shorter to as long as the pedicel floral bract.
"Similar to M trochilus and vegetatively they are indistinguishable except for the longer average lengths of the floral bracts and pedicels, but the flowers are remarkably different. Instead of flowers with the lateral sepals incurved into a closed, egg-shpaed synsepal, the synsepal is gaping and bowl-shaped." Luer 2003
Synonyms Alaticaulia plynophora (Luer) Luer 2006
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XIX Systematics of Masdevallia Part 1 Luer 2000 drawing of M acrochordonia fide; * Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXV Madevallia Part 5 Luer 2003 drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Alaticaulia plynophora; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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