Masdevallia medusa Luer & R. Escobar 1982 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules [Krzl.] Luer 1986
Photo by Ron Parsons
Photo by © Jay Pfahl
Photo by Eric Hunt
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Medusa Masdevallia [refers to the pendant, long ropey sepaline tubes that suggest the locks of hair of the mythical figure Medusa]
Flower Size 1 1/4" [3 cm]
Found in Boyaca department of northeastern Colombia in scrub cloud forests at elevations of 2800 to 3360 meters as a miniature, cold growing epiphyte with stout, erect ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 loose, tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, ellitcal, obtuse leaf that gradually narrows into the petiole and blooms in the winter on a dense to sublax, with a basal bract, to 2.8" [to 7 cm] long, few to several [2 to 6] simultaneously flowered,, triquetrous, racemose inflorescence and thin, imbricating, oblique, longer than the ovary floral bracts.
"Can be confused with M sceptrum yet has longer pedicels and shortly connate sepals with somewhat revolute, free margins. The sepals of the latter are connate into a sepaline tube and without revolute, free margins. The paetals and lip of both species are similar." Luer 2000
Synonyms Alaticaulia medusa (Luer & R.Escobar) Luer 2006
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orquideologia Vol 16 No 1 1983 drawing fide; 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 medusa; 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;
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