Masdevallia melina Königer & J. Meza 1996 SUBGENUS Masdevallia SECTION Coriaceae SUBSECTION Coriaceae Rchb.f 1874

Drawing by © Carl Luer and The Epidendra Website

Common Name The Yellow Masdevallia

Flower Size 1.2" [3 cm]

Found in Amazonas department of Peru at elevations around 2300 meters as a miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with slender, erect ramicauls enveloped by 2 to 3 close, tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, thickly coriaceous, very narrowly oblong-elliptical, rounded, gradually narrowing below into the base leaf that blooms in the fall on an almost erect, terete, stout, .6" [1.5 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence with a tubular, loose, scarious, acuminate floral bract.

Masdevallia lilianae has been offered as a synonym of this species by Luer and it could be, more research is nessesary, Obvious differences are the length of the lateral tails and if they are recurved or not. M lilianae has longer, straight tails, while M melina has recurved, shorter tails.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Arcula 5: 125. Koniger & J. Meza 1996 drawing fide; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo hmm = M lilianae?; Orchids, Masdevallis with its Segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo hmm = M lilianae?;

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