Masdevallia affinis Lindl. 1846 SUBGENUS Masdevallia SECTION Masdevallia SUBSECTION Masdevallia
Photo by © Rodrigo Escobar
Photo by © Ecuagenera and Their Ecuador Orchid Website
Common Name or Meaning The Similar Masdevallia
Flower Size 2" [5 cm]
Found in Venezuela and Colombia in paramo at elevations of 2500 to 2800 meters as a miniature sized, cold growing terrestrial or epiphyte low down on trees with erect, ramicauls enveloped basally by a loose, inflated, tubular sheath and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptic, contracted petiolate base leaf that blooms in the winter through summer on an erect, 5" [12.5 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence with a very pale green, acuminate bract at the apex
CAUTION This species is often said to be a synonym of M laevis but I have left them separate until further review.
Synonyms Masdevallia affinis subsp. maculigera (Schltr.) Luer 1988; Masdevallia affinis subsp. petiolaris (Schltr.) Luer 1988;
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1854; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1855; Venezuelan Orchids Vol 5 Dunsterville & Garay 1966 drawing good; Flora de Venezuela Volumen 15 Parte 3 Foldats 1970; Orchids of Venezuela An Illustrated Field Guide Vol 2 Dunsterville & Garay 1979 drawing good; Orquideologia Vol 16 No 1 1983 drawing ok; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Systematics of the Pleurothallidinae Vol 1 1986 drawing fide; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 6 COS 1998 photo fide to the first photo; Orchids of Venezuela [An illustrated field guide] Vol. 1 Ramiro and Carnevali 2000 as M lepida drawing good; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXII Systematics of Masdevallia Part 3 Luer 2001 as synonym of M laevis; Madevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide to the second photo;
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