Masdevallia lychniphora Königer 1980 SUBGENUS Masdevallia SECTION Masdevallia SUBSECTION Caudatae Veitch 1889
Photo courtesy of © Lourens Grobler
Photo by © Eric Hunt
Common Name The Ruby Masdevallia [Refers to the color of the flower]
Flower Size 2" [5 cm]
Found in northern Peru in forests at elevation around 2000 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte with blackish, slender, erect ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 thin, tubular sheaths carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, obtuse leaf that is cuneate below into the slender petiole that blooms in the fall on a +- horizontal, slender, 1/2 to 2/4" [1.2 to 2 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul, with a tubular bract above the base, and an oblique floral bract carrying the downwards facing, single flower beneath the leaf. The ruby red suffusion on the inner halves of the yellow sepals is diagnostic for this species as well as the downward facing flower.
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Systematics of Masdevallia Vol 2 Luer 1986; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXIII Systematics of Masdevallia Part 4 Luer 2002 drawing fidem; Orchid Species of Peru Zelenko Bermudez 2009 photo fide; Mille et Une Mini Orchideees Roguenant 2009 photo fide; Las Orquideas del Peru Izerskyy & Bezverhov 2011 photo fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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