Masdevallia hortensis Luer & R.Escobar 1984 SUBGENUS Meleagris Luer 1986
Closeup of flower showing the unique knob at the apex of the dorsal sepal hood
Photos by © Andres Posada and his Flickr Orchid Photo Website
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Garden Masdevallia [Refers to the orchid occuring near the town of Jardin which in spanish is Garden]
Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]
Found in western Antioquia department of Colombia in cloud forests at elevations around 2600 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with slender erect ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 loose tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, thinly coriaceous, narrowly obovate-elliptical, subacute, narrowly cuneate below into the elongate petiole that blooms in the spring on an erect, congested, successively single flowered, 2 1/8" to 3.6" [6 to 9 cm] long inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul with a bract below the middle and a tubular floral bract all and holding the flower well above the leaf.
According to Luer the most unique identifier for this species is the presence of a knob at the apex of the dorsal hood where the apical tail begins.
Synonyms Rodrigoa hortensis (Luer & R.Escobar) Luer 2006
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Orquideologia Vol 16 No 2 1984 photo/Drawing fide; Colombian Native Orchids Vol 2 COS 1991 photo fide; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXV Systematics of Masdevallia Vol 5 Luer 2003 drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Rodrigoa hortensis; 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;
Checked type plant W3Tropicos
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