Masdevallia sertula C.A.Luer & Andreetta 1991 SUBGENUS Amanda Luer 1986
Photos by © Eric Hunt
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Little Crowned Masdevallia [refers to the positioning of the flowers in the inflorescence to resemble a crown]
Flower Size 3/4" [2 cm]
Found only in Ecuador at elevations around 2500 to 3000 meters as a miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with rather stout, erect ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 thin, tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, petiolate, elliptical, obtuse leaf that is narrowly cuneate into the slender petiole and blooms in the winter on a congested, 11" [22.5 cm] long, simultaneously several flowered, racemose inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul with 2 well spaced bracts and inflated floral bracts.
This species is closely related to M tridens yet differs by having a shorter, more congested raceme and the flowers have decurved tails, and the sepals are flesh colored with minute purple dots, the dorsal sepal is deeply concave and decurved and the sepaline tails are thicker and deflexed.
Synonyms Spilotantha sertula (Luer & Andreetta) Luer 2006
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 3 Dodson 2002 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXV Systematics of Masdevallia Part Five Luer 2003 drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Spilotantha sertula; Orchidaceae Masdevallia and Affiliates Dodson & Luer 2009 as Spilotantha sertula drawing ok; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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