Masdevallia belua Königer & D'Aless. 1993 SUBGENUS Masdevallia SECTION Coriaceae SUBSECTION Coriaceae [Rchb.f] Veitch 1889

Side View Of Flower Photo by © Lourens Grobler

Common Name The Monster Masdevallia [refers to flower size this speceies]

Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]

Found in Ecuador at elevations around 2200 to 2300 meters as a small sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte with stout, erect suberect ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 more or less inflated tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, obtuse to rounded, cuneate below into the indistinct subpetiolate base leaf that blooms in the spring on a suberect, 1.6 to 2.4" [4 to 6 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul with a bract near the base and a tubular floral bract and carries a foul smelling flower

Synonyms Byrsella belua (Königer & D'Aless.) Luer 2006

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXI Systematics of Masdevallia Part 2 Luer 2000 drawing fide; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 3 Dodson 2002 photo fide; Orchidaceae Masdevallia and Affiliates Dodson & Luer 2009 as Byersella belua drawing fide

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------