Masdevallia discoidea Luer & Würstle SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Polyanthae SUBSECTION Successiviflorae Luer 2000
Photo by Jay Pfahl
Photos courtesy of Kathy Gargis Olsen
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Disc-Shaped Masdevallia [refers to the flowers shape]
Flower Size 2" [5 cm]
Found in southern Brazil at an unknown location and elevation as a mini-miniature to miniature sized, probably epiphytic orchid, with stout, erect ramicauls enveloped by 2 to 3 tubular sheaths carrying a single, apical, erect, thickly coriaceous, oblong, obtuse leaf that is cuneate below into an indistinct petiole that blooms in the winter on a congested, arising from low on the ramicaul with a basal bract, .2 to .4" [.05 to 1 cm] long, successively single, few flowered inflorescence with imbricating, shorter than the pedicel floral bracts with large flowers that are held well below the leaf.
"Related to M curtipes and M infracta but easily distinguished by the broad leaf,, terete peduncles and markedly laterally compressed, dark purple flowers. The flowers are larger than either of the previous species and extremely flat or discoid, less than .32 to .36" from side to side. The petals and lip are dark purple. The marginal folds of the lip are acute and erect and the apex is revolute." Luer 2000
Synonyms Alaticaulia discoidea (Luer & Würstle) Luer 2006
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Systematics of Masdevallia Vol 2 Luer 1986; 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; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXV Systematics of Masdevallia Part Five Luer 2003; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Alaticaulia discoidea; AOS Bulletin Vol 82 #3 2013 photo fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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