Masdevallia rolandorum Luer & Sijm 2003 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules [Krzl.] Luer 1986
Photo by © Tom Sijm
TYPE Drawing by © Carl Luer and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website
Common Name or Meaning The Rolando's Masdevallia [Peruvian orchid enthusiasts]
Flower Size 2" [5 cm]
Found in Amazonas department of Peru near Moyombamba as a small sized, warm growing epiphyte with stout, erect ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, narrowly elliptical-obovate, subacute to obtuse, gradually narrowing below into the ill-defined petiolate base leaf that blooms in the summer on an stout, arising from low on the ramicaul, with a bract at the base, erect, triquetrous, 6 to 14.8" [37 cm] long including the 12.8" [32 cm] long peduncle, congested, successively single, few flowered inflorescence and imbricating, oblique, with shorter to longer than the pedicel floral bracts.
"Distinguished by the large habit and long stout peduncle longer than 12" [30 cm]. THe flower is large with a broadly expanded, convex, minutely papillose, uniformally purple synsepal that ends in a short, acuminate, tail-like apice. The petals are thick and broadly oblong. The lip is also broadly oblong with a thick, minutely rugose apex. The usual folds are thick, nearly transverse and overhanging." Luer 2003
Synonyms Alaticaulia rolandorum (Luer & Sijm) Luer 2006
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXV Masdevallia Part 5 Luer 2003 drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Alaticaulia rolandorum ; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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