Masdevallia scobina Luer & R. Escobar 1982 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules [Krzl.] Luer 1986
Photo by © The Orchidee du Nord Website
Photo courtesy of © Lourens Grobler
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Scaly Masdevallia [refers to the scaly dorsal sepal]
Flower Size 3/4" [2 cm]
Found only in Antioquia department of Colombia's western cordillera in cloud forests at elevations of 2000 to 2200 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing, caespitose epiphyte with stout erect ramicauls that are enveloped by 2 to 3 loose, tubular, sheaths carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, narrowly obovate, obtuse leaf that blooms in the spring on an ascending, arising from low on the ramicaul with a basal sheaths congested, 6" to 12" [15 to 30 cm] long, successively single, many [12] flowered inflorescence with thin, papery, imbricating, white, shorter than the pedicel floral bracts and holds the single flower well above the leaves.
"Similar to M melanoxantha but distinguished by the long pedicels that protrude far beyond the imbricating floral bracts in the congested raceme. The flowers of the 2 species are similar but the dorsal sepal of M scobina is shallowly connate to the lateral sepals to form a very short or shallow sepaline tube so the the petals, lip and column are exposed. The erect, yellow tail is terete and rough like a rasp. The sepaline tube of M melanoxantha, although short, is well developed and twice as long. The lips are also similar with a pair of erect, fin-like calli, but the hypochile of the lip of M scobina is furnished with an erect, longitudinal callus." Luer 2000
Synonyms Alaticaulia scobina (Luer & R.Escobar) Luer 2006
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Systematics of Masdevallia Vol 2 Luer 1986; Icones Orchidacearum Peruviarum Plate 288 Bennett & Christenson 1995; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 6 COS 1998 photo ok; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XIX Systematics of Masdevallia Part 1 Luer 2000 drawing fide to the first photo; 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 scobina; Libro Rojo de Plantas De Colombia Vol 6 Primera Parte Saenz 2007; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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