Masdevallia excelsior Luer & Andreetta 1981 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules [Krzl.] Luer 1986
Photo by © Eric Hunt
Photo courtesy of Eric Hunt, plant grown by San Fransisco Conservatory of Flowers.
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Outstanding Masdevallia
Flower Size 3/4" [2 cm]
Found in Ecuador in cloud forest at elevations of 1500 to 2300 meters as a small sized, caespitose, cool to cold growing epiphyte and occasional terrestrial with stout erect ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 loose, tubular sheaths carrying a single, apical, oblanceolate leaf tapering to a long petiolate base that blooms in the spring on a slender, erect, 10" [25 cm] long, successively few, triquetrous, single flowered inflorescence with a basal bract and a tubular floral bract carrying the distant flowers each occuring well above the previous and all held above leaf height.
Synonyms Alaticaulia excelsior (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 drwaing fide; Masdevallia's in Kleur Vol 1 P M Oversteegen, Eisses & A P Sijm 2001 photo fide; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 3 Dodson 2002 drawing fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXV Systematics of Masdevallia Part Five Luer 2003; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Alaticaulia excelsior; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 86 # 1 2017 photo fide;
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