Dracula nycterina (Rchb.f.) Luer 1978 SUBGENUS Dracula SECTION Dracula SUBSECTION Costatae
Photo by © Jay Pfahl
Drawing by © Carl Luer
Common Name The Bat-Like Dracula
Flower Size 1 1/2" x 6" [3.75 x 15 cm]
Found in Antioquia department of Colombia within cloud forests at elevations of 1200 to 2000 meters as a small sized, cool growing epiphytic species with erect, stout ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 loose, tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, thinly coriaceous, carinate, narrowly elliptical, acute, gradually narrowing below into the conduplicate, indistinct, subpetiolate base leaf that blooms in the spring and fall on a slender, purple, subverrucose, horizontal to descending, arising from low on the ramicaul and carrying a few bracts, 1.6" to 3.2" [4 to 8 cm] long, successively single, few flowered inflorescence with a single tubular, longer than the pedicel floral bract.
"Similar to Dracula vespertilio but the epichile of the lip is transversely concave and coursed within by radiating veins, while that of D vespertillio is completly smooth." Luer 1993
Synonyms MasdevaIIia chimaera Linden & Andd. 1873 non Rchb.f ; *Masdevallia nycterina Rchb. f. 1873
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915 as Masdevallia nycterina; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965 as Masdevallia nycterina; * Selbyana 2: 198 Luer 1978; AOS Bulletin Vol 48 No 7 1979 drawing/photo fide; Thesaurus Dracularum Vol 3 Luer, Escobar and Dalstroem 1990 watercolor/drawing fide; The Illustratred Encyclopedia of Orchids Pridgeon, 1992 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum X Systematics of Dracula Luer 1993 drawing fide; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 5 COS 1994 photo fide; Manual of Orchids Stewart 1995; Orchid Digest Vol 61 #4 1997 drawing/photo fide; Libro Rojo de Plantas De Colombia Vol 6 Primera Parte Saenz 2007 photo fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide; Orchids, A Colombian Treasure Vol 1 Ortiz & Uribe 2014 drawing/photo fide;
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