Masdevallia trochilus Linden & André 1873 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules [Krzl.] Luer 1986 Photo by Jay Pfahl © Photos by Marius Wasbauer. Drawings by © Carl Luer and Epidendra Orchid Page Common Name The Little Bird Masdevallia
Flower Size to 2" [to 5 cm]
Found in Antioquia and Cauca departments of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru in cloud forests at elevations of 1300 to 2400 meters as a miniature to small sized, caespitose, cool to cold growing epiphyte with stout, erect ramicauls enveloped by 2 to 3 loose, tubular sheaths carrying a single, apical, erect, thickly coriaceous, elliptical, obtuse leaf that is narrowly cuneate to the basal, stout, channeled petiole blooming on a subcongested, to 12" [30 cm] long, stout, flexuous, successively [2 to 3] flowered, triangular, racemose inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul with a basal bract and foliaceous, imbricating floral bracts holding the single flower well above the leaf occuring in the spring.
Synonyms Alaticaulia trochilus (Linden & André) Luer 2006; Masdevallia colibri Burrb. 1873; Masdevallia ephippium Rchb. f. 1873;
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
Xenia Orchidaceae vol 2 Rchb.f 1874 Drawing; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915 as M ephippium; Atlas des Orchidees Cultivees Constantin 1920 as M ephippium drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 27 No 5 1958 as M ephippium drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 28 No 7 1958 as M ephippium drawing fide; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965 as M ephippium; Systematics of Masdevallia Vol 2 Luer 1986; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 2 COS 1991 photo fide; The Manual Of Cultivated Orchid Species Bechtel, Cribb & Launert 1992; Icones Orchidacearum Peruviarum Plate 288 Bennett & Christenson 1995; 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; Orchid Digest Vol 66 #1 2002 as M epphipium drawing fide; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 3 Dodson 2002 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXV Systematics of Masdevallia Part Five Luer 2003 drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Alaticaulia trochilus; Libro Rojo de Plantas De Colombia Vol 6 Primera Parte Saenz 2007 photo fide; Orquideologia Vol 25 #2 2008 photo fide; Orchidaceae Masdevallia and Affiliates Dodson & Luer 2009 as Alaticaulia trochilus drawing fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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