Masdevallia mayaycu Luer & Andreetta 1988-9 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Polyanthae SUBSECTION Successiviflorae Luer 2000
Photo courtesy of Eric Hunt
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name Mayaycu's Masdevallia [Local Shauri Chief in Ecuador]
Flower Size .4" [1 cm]
Found in Zamora-Chinchipe province of Ecuador at elevations around 1400 to 1500 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing epiphyte with slender, blackish ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, subacute leaf that is cuneate basally into the petiole and blooms in the fall on a suberect, arising from low on the ramicaul with a bract at the base. slender, 3.8" [9.5 cm] long, congested, several successively flowered inflorescence with imbricating, thin, shorter than the pedicel floral bracts.
"The long slender peduncle is terete and produces flowers successively in a congested raceme. The relatively small flowers are similar to M bicolor. The dorsal sepal is green and the synsepal is deep purple with a prominent white, central stripe. The petals are oblong and bidentate a tthe tip. The li is dark purple with a verrucose epichile." Luer 2000
Synonyms Alaticaulia mayaycu (Luer & Andreetta) Luer 2006
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XIX Systematics of Masdevallia Part 1 Luer 2000 drawing fide; A Treasure of Masdevallia Vol 26 Luer & Dalstroem 2001 watercolor fide; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 3 Dodson 2002 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Alaticaulia mayaycu; AOS Bulletin Vol 78 #3 2009 photo fide; Orchidaceae Masdevallia and Affiliates Dodson & Luer 2009 as Alaticaulia mayaycu drawing fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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