Masdevallia mascarata Luer & R.Vásquez 1992 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules [Krzl.] Luer 1986
Photos by © Gerrit Verhellen and The Orchids Forum Website
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Masked Masdevallia [an allusion to the confusing identity]
Flower Size .8" [2 cm]
Found in Santa Cruz department of Bolivia at elevations around 650 meters as a mini-miniature sized, warm growing epiphyte with slender, erect ramicauls enveloped by 2 to 3 thin, tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, narrowly elliptical, subacute, narrowly cuneate below into the base leaf that blooms in the summer on an suberect, ascending to horizontal, with a bract at the base, from the base of the ramicaul, triquetrous, 2" [5 cm] long including the .6 to 1.2" [1.5 to 3 cm] long peduncle, loose, successively single, few flowered inflorescence with shorter than the pedicel floral bract.
Deceptively similar to M zahlbruckneri but it has a creeping, terete peduncle and also similar to M sanctae-fidei but M masacarata is distinguished by the very short, erect, triquetrous inflorescence as well as the petals that are longitudinally callous with a low, basal swelling and the lip is plicate above the middle.
Synonyms Alaticaulia mascarata (Luer & R.Vásquez) Luer 2006
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XIX Luer Masdevallia part 1 2000 drawing fide; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Alaticaulia mascarata; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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