Masdevallia belua Königer & D'Aless. 1993 SUBGENUS Masdevallia SECTION Coriaceae SUBSECTION Coriaceae Rchb.f 1874
Photo by © Lourens Grobler
Photos by © Gilberto Merino
Common Name The Monster Masdevallia [refers to flower size this speceies]
Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]
Found in Ecuador at elevations around 2200 to 2300 meters as a small sized, cold growing epiphyte with stout, erect suberect ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 more or less inflated tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, obtuse to rounded, cuneate below into the indistinct subpetiolate base leaf that blooms in the spring on a suberect, 1.6 to 2.4" [4 to 6 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul with a bract near the base and a tubular floral bract and carries a foul smelling flower
Synonyms Byrsella belua (Königer & D'Aless.) Luer 2006
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXI Systematics of Masdevallia Part 2 Luer 2000 drawing fide; Madevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 close up photo fide, flower photo hmm; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 3 Dodson 2002 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXVIII Luer 2006 as Byrsella belua; Orchidaceae Masdevallia and Affiliates Dodson & Luer 2009 as Byersella belua drawing fide; Masdevallia in Detail Vol 5 Sijm etal 2010 photo/drawing fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 85 #4 2016 photo fide;
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