Masdevallia impostor Luer & R. Escobar 1979 SUBGENUS Polyantha SECTION Alaticaules SUBSECTION Alaticaules [Krzl.] Luer 1986
Photo by © Andreas Philipp
Photo by Bernard Gerrard
Photo by Patricia Harding.
TYPE Drawing by Carl Luer
and 
Common Name The Deciever Masdevallia [refers to its being confused with another species]
Flower Size 3/8" [1 cm]
Found in Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador at elevations of 1500 to 1900 meters in cloud forests as a miniature sized, cool growing epiphyte 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 in the winter, spring and fall 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.
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 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XIX Systematics of Masdevallia Part 1 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 photo fide; Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXV Systematics of Masdevallia Part Five Luer 2003; Icones Pleurothallidinarum Vol XXVIII Luer 2006 as Alaticaulia impostor; Libro Rojo de Plantas De Colombia Vol 6 Primera Parte Saenz 2007; Orchidaceae Masdevallia and Affiliates Dodson & Luer 2009 as Alaticaulia imposter drawing fide; An Illustrated Field Guide to the Orchids of the Yotoco Forest Reserve Colombia Kolanowska, Escobar, Sanchez & Szlachetko 2011 drawing fide; Orchids Masdevallia with its segregates including Dracula Zelenko 2014 photo fide;
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