Masdevallia ramiromedinae [Thoerle] in ed. SUBGENUS Pygmaeia SECTION Pygmaeae Luer 1986
Photo by Ramiro Medina/TYPE Drawing by Lisa Thoerle
LATE
Common Name Ramiro Medina's Masdevallia [Colombian Orchid Enthusiast current]
Flower Size .08" [2 mm]
Found in Putumayo department of Colombia on mossy branches at elevations around 2600 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with erect to suberect ramicauls enveloped by 2, loose, basal sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erectto suberect, coriaceous, elliptic-ovate, subobtuse, minutely triapiculate, narrowly cuneate below int o the petioalte base leaf that blooms in the spring on a erect, from low on the ramicaul, peduncle terete, .72 to 1.08" [1.8 to 2.7 cm] long, rachis .08 to .12" [.2 to .3 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence.
"This species is most similar to the more common and widespread Masdevallia anachaeta, but is readily distinguished by floral characteristics. The dorsal sepal of D. ramiromedinae is elliptic-ovate, with the apex acute, and the lateral sepals are .2" [5 mm] wide, with the short apices bluntly acuminate-triangular; the dorsal sepal of D. anachaeta is elliptic with a distinct cauda, and the lateral sepals are .12" [3 mm] wide, with narrow, caudate apices. The petals of D. ramiromedinae are .2" [5 mm] long with a descending, narrowly linear, rounded basal process appressed to the column-foot for most of its ca. .04" [1 mm] length; those of D. anachaeta are .08" [2 mm] long, with an acute, retrorse tooth that is less than .02" [0.5 mm] long and free of the column-foot. The lip of the new species is obovate with the apex very broadly rounded, .16 x .01" [4.0 × 2.5 mm], divided in two parts by marginal folds that extend to about the middle of the lip, with the hypochile verrucose and the epichile with radiating lamellae. The lip of D. anachaeta is oblong-subpandurate with the apex acute, .1 x .04" [2.5 × 1 mm], neither completely divided nor heavily textured. The new species also superficially resembles Masdevallia pygmaea, from which it is distinguished by vegetative and floral characteristics. The leaves of D. ramiromedinae are elliptic-obovate, .12 to .2" [3 to 5 mm] wide; those of D. pygmaea are narrowly linear, .04 to .08" [1 to 2 mm] wide. Floral differences include the ovary, irregularly cristate vs. densely muriculate; lateral sepals with acuminate-triangular apices shorter than the blades vs. with well-developed caudae longer than the blades; petals .2" [5 mm] rather than .06" [1.5 mm ] long; and the lip obovate and divided, .16 [4 mm] long vs. elliptic-oblong and undivided, .08 to .1" [2 to 2.5 mm] long." Thoerle & Medina 2017
Synonyms *Diodonopsis ramiromedinae Thoerle 2017
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *LANKESTERIANA 17(2): 223 Thoerle & Medina 2017 photo/drawing fide;
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