Masdevallia harlequina Luer 1997 SUBGENUS Masdevallia SECTION Masdevallia SUBSECTION Caudatae Veitch 1889
Photo courtesy of Linda & Mikael Karlbom ©
Photo courtesy of Dale and Deni Borders.
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Harlequin Masdevallia [Clown character in Italian Comedy with mask and spangled tights]
Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]
Found in Peru at altitudes around 2800 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte with black, stout, erect ramicauls enveloped basallly by 2 to 3 tubular sheaths carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, obtuse leaf that is cuneate below into the petiole and blooms in the fall on a suberect to horizontal, 1 3/5" [4 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence arising from near the base of the ramicaul with a basal bract and a tubular floral bract holding the single flower under the leaf.
Distinguished by the ovate lip with thin, long-fringed margins unique in the subsection.
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XV Systematics of Trichosalpinx Luer 1997 drawing fide; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXIII Systematics of Masdevallia Part 4 Luer 2002 drawing fide; Orchid Species of Peru Zelenko Bermudez 2009 photo fide; Las Orquideas del Peru Izerskyy & Bezverhov 2011 photo fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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