Masdevallia nicaraguae Luer 1979 SUBGENUS Masdevallia SECTION Minutae Rchb.f Ex Woolw. 1896
Photos by © Bogarin, Used under permission of the Epidendra Website CR
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Nicaraguan Masdevallia
Flower Size .4" [1 cm]
Found in Nicaragua in cloud forests at elevations of 25 to 600 meters as a mini-miniature sized, hot growing epiphyte with an erect ramicaul enveloped by 2 to 3 thin, tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, narrowly obovate, obtuse, gradually narrowing below into the petiolate base leaf that blooms in the fall on an erect to suberect, slender, 1.6 to 2.6" [4 to 6.5 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul with a bract below the middle and a tubular floral bract and carries a single fragrant flower.
This species is similar to Masdevallia floribunda Lindl., from which it is distinguished by the thick sepaline tails, particularly those of the shorter, triangular, lateral sepals, white, faintly suffused with rose within toward the bases (vs. dull brownish yellow, spotted). Masdevallia nicaraguae is also similar to M. tubuliflora Ames, but is distinguished by its larger, pure white sepals, the erect tail of the dorsal sepal, the broadly dilated lateral sepals and the entire apex of the column (Luer 2001).
Synonyms Acinopetala nicaraguae (Luer) Luer 2006
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Lankester's Epidendra Website CR; Icones Planetarum Tropicarum Plate 1039 Hamer 1984 drawing fide; Icones Planetarum Tropicarum Plate 1552 Mora & Atwood 1993 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 65 Vol 7 1996; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXII Masevallia Part 3 Luer 2001 drawing fide; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Acinopetala nicaraguae; LANKESTERIANA 12(1), Bogarín, Karremans & Mel.Fernández April 2012. © Universidad de Costa Rica, 2012 drawing/photo fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide; LANKESTERIANA 17(2) Bogarin, Oses & C M Sm. 2017 photo fide; Vanishing Beauty, Native Costa Rican Orchids Vol 2 Lacaena to Pteroglossa Pupulin 2020 photo fide
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