Masdevallia virgo-cuencae Luer & Andreetta 1978 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules [Krzl.] Luer 1986

View of lip and petals Photos by © Jay Pfahl

Flower Closeup Photo courtesy of © Lourens Grobler

Another Flower Angle Photo courtesy of Eric Hunt plant grown by SF Conservatory of Flowers

LATER and

Common Name The Virgin de Cuenca's Masdevallia [the Maiden of Cuenca]

Flower Size 1 1/4" [3 cm]

A cold growing, miniature to small sized, caespitose epiphyte from southern Colombia in Huila and Ecuador that is found at altitudes around 850 meters in Colombia and 2700 meters in Ecuador with a stout, erect ramicaul enveloped by 2 to 3 loose, tubular sheaths carrying a single, apical, erect, thickly coriaceous, elliptical, subacute leaf that is cuneate below into a channeled petiolate base blooming in the later summer and fall on a stout, erect, congested, 6" to 9" [16 to 23 cm] long, successively several, solitary flowered, triquetrous infloresence arising from the base of the ramicaul with a basal bract and tubular, thin, imbricating floral bracts with the flowers held well above the leaves.

Kew has M maloi as a synonym of this species but I can't buy it. See my details and photo closeup of lips of both species.

Several sources combine this species with M orchipayanensium Ortiz 2004 but they appear to be quite different [see the listing for M orchipayanensium], if so then this species name takes precedence.

SynonymsAlaticaulia virgo-cuencae (Luer & Andreetta) Luer 2006

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Systematics of Masdevallia Vol 2 Luer 1986; Icones Orchidacearum Peruviarum Plate 288 Bennett & Christenson 1995; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XIX Systematics of Masdevallia Part 1 Luer 2000 drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXII Systematics of Masdevallia Part 3 Luer 2001; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 3 Dodson 2002 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXV Systematics of Masdevallia Part Five 2005; A Treasure of Masdevallia Vol 28 Luer & Dalstroem 2006 watercolor fide; Libro Rojo de Plantas De Colombia Vol 6 Primera Parte Saenz 2007 photo not; Orchidaceae Masdevallia and Affiliates Dodson & Luer 2009 as Alaticaulia virgo-cuencae drawing fide

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