Masdevallia torulosa Königer & J.J. Portilla 1995 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules [Krzl.] Luer 1986
Comparison of lip photo, M carruthersiana on the left and M torulosa on the right
Photos by © Lourens Grobler
Photo by © Carl Luer
Common Name
Flower Size
Found in Morona-Santiago province of Ecuador at elevations around 1700 meters as a mini-miniature to miniature sized, cool growing, caespitose epiphyte with furrowed, short ramicauls enveloped by 2, long, close sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, lanceolate, gradually narrowing below into the furrowed stem leaf that blooms on a triquetrous, erect, 10" [25 cm] long, straight, rachis congested, successively single, few flowered inflorescence with tubular, conduplicate, scarious, long and minutely acuminate, as long to a bit longer than the ovary floral bract.
Often cited as a synonym of M carruthersiana but the lip of this one has two basal ear-like lobes that are not present in M carruthersiana so I have left them separate pending more research
Synonyms Alaticaulia torulosa (Königer & J.Portilla) Luer 2006; Masdevallia carruthersiana var. torulosa (Königer & J.Portilla) O.Gruss & M.Wolff 2007
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Arcula 4: 104 Königer & J.J. Portilla 1995 Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Alaticaulia torulosa; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo not = M carruthersiana;
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