Masdevallia sceptrum Rchb. f. 1854 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules [Krzl.] Luer 1986
Photo by Andreas Philipp
Photo by Jay Pfahl
Drawing by © Carl Luer
Common Name The Scepter-Like Masdevallia [Refers to the elegant inflorescence]
Flower Size 1 1/8" [3 cm]
Found in Merida and Tachira states of Venezuela and Boyaca, Santander and Norte de Santander departments of Colombia in cloud forests on tall trees often in full sun at elevations of 2400 to 3900 meters as a miniature to small sized, cold growing caespitose epiphyte with stout, erect ramicauls enveloped by 2 to 3 loose, tubular sheaths carrying an erect, single, apical, thickly coriaceous, elliptical-obovate, subacute to obtuse leaf that is narrowly cuneate into the basal petiole blooming in the summer on a stout, arising from the base of the ramicaul with a basal bract, erect, 6 to 12" [15 to 30 cm] long, loose to congested, simultaneously few to several [4 to 5] flowered, triquetrous, racemose inflorescence with a thin tubular, as long as to shorter than the pedicel floral bract that holds the flowers at or above the leaf height.
This species is found in conjunction with M buccinator and can be confused with M schlimii which has a terete inflorescence, basal processes on the petals, a longer hypochile and no prominent keel on the lip.
Synonyms Alaticaulia sceptrum (Rchb.f.) Luer 2006; Masdevallia schlimii var. sceptrum [Rchb.f]Woolw. 1896; Masdevallia urostachya Rchb.f 1882
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1854; Venezuelan Orchids Illustrated Vol 6 Dunsterville & Garay 1976 drawing ok; Orchids of Venezuela An Illustrated Field Guide Vol 2 Dunsterville & Garay 1979 drawing ok; Orquideologia Vol 16 No 1 1983; Systematics of Masdevallia Vol 2 Luer 1986; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XIX Systematics of Masdevallia Part 1 Luer 2000 drawing fide; Orchids of Venezuela [An illustrated field guide] Vol. 2 Ramiro and Carnevali 2000 drawing ok; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Orquideas Nativas del Tachira Cesar Fernandez 2003 photo fide; Orquideologia Vol. 23 No 1 2004 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXV Systematics of Masdevallia Part Five Luer 2003; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Alaticaulia sceptrum; Libro Rojo de Plantas De Colombia Vol 6 Primera Parte Saenz 2007; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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