Masdevallia impostor Luer & R. Escobar 1979 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules {Krzl.] Luer 1986 Photo by © Andreas Philipp

Another Flower Photo courtesy of Bernard Gerrard

Another Angle Photo courtesy of Patricia Harding.

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Common Name The Deciever Masdevallia

Flower Size 3/8" [1 cm]

Found in Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador as a small sized, warm to cool growing epiphyte at elevations of 1500 to 1900 meters in cloud forests with stout, erect ramicauls enveloped by 2 to3 tubular sheaths carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, obtuse leaf that is narrowly cuneate below into the stout petiole that blooms on a congested, racemose, to 20" [to 50 cm] long, erect to arching, triquetrous, successively single flowered inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul , having papery, imbricating floral bracts and large showy flowers occuring in the winter, spring and fall.

SynonymsAlaticaulia impostor (Luer & R.Escobar) Luer 2006

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Orquideologia Vol 13 No 2 1979 photo/drawing/herbarium sheet fide; Systematics of Masdevallia Vol 2 Luer 1986; Icones Orchidacearum Peruviarum Plate 288 Bennett & Christenson 1995; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 6 COS 1998; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XIX Systematics of Masdevallia Part 1 Luer 2000; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 3 COS 2002; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXV Systematics of Masdevallia Part Five 2005

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