Masdevallia fractiflexa F. Lehm. & Kraenzl. 1894 SUBGENUS Masdevallia SECTION Coriaceae SUBSECTION Coriaceae Rchb.f 1874
Photo courtesy of © Lourens Grobler
Photo courtesy of Dale Borders.
Common Name The ZigZag-Sepal Masdevallia
Flower Size about 1" [to about 2.5 cm]
Found in Ecuador in cloud forests at elevations of 1500 to 2200 meters as a miniature sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte that has stout, erect to suberect ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 loose tubular sheaths carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, subacute to obtuse leaf that is narrowly cuneate below into the channeled petiole that blooms in the spring on a slender, horizontal, 3/4 to 2 2/5" [2 to 6 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul with a bract near the base and a tubular floral bract holding the putrid smelling flower below the leaves.
Synonyms Byrsella fractiflexa (Lehm. & Kraenzl.) Luer 2006
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 31 No 8 1962 photo fide; Systematics of Masdevallia Vol 2 Luer 1986; Orchid Digest Vol 58 No 4 1994 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum VOL XXI Luer 2000 drawing fide; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 3 Dodson 2002 photos fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Byrsella fractiflexa; Orchidaceae Masdevallia and Affiliates Dodson & Luer 2009 as Byrsella fractiflexa drawing fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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