Masdevallia sotoana 'Edward' CBR/AOS

Masdevallia sotoana is from Ecuador and is a tiny species in the Saltatrices section of the genus. The plant is only 4cm tall and the flowers, produced in profusion in winter, are 1.5cm from tip to tip.  The plant is cool growing and thrives for me in live sphagnum in a small net pot.  This particular plant was awarded a Certificate of Botanical Recognition (CBR) by the American Orchid Society a year or two ago.

Masdevallia sotoana 'Edward' CBR/AOS

This tiny Masdevallia is from Ecuador and belongs to the Saltarices group, a group that contains many of my favorite Masdevallia species.  The flowers on this species are 1.5 cm long and have a spread (measured across the front of the flower) of only 2 cm.  The plant is 4 cm tall and was awarded recently by the American Orchid Society at the Pacific Northwest Regional Judging in Seattle.  It was given a Certificate of Botanical Recognition (CBR/AOS) and had 20 flowers and 10 buds when awarded.  The description was: "sepals white, translucent; brilliant orange stripes inside sepaline tube; white hispid hairs; caudae yellow; petals and lip white; substance firm; texture sparkling; lip and petals too small to measure; light woodsy fragrance."

 

Saltatrices Masdevallias

The Saltatrices group of Masdevallias are especially desirable and attractive, at least to me.  They are small plants, the flowers are almost all brightly colored, and most of them are easy to grow and profuse bloomers, if given the right conditions, cool temperatures and good humidity.

They are distinguished to the casual eye by their more or less tubular shape, by a kind of "belly" or bulge at the base of the sepaline tube, and by the glandular hairs that line the inside of the flower.  Their bright colors, reds, oranges and yellows are also often an indication of their relation to this group.

Masdevallia hirtzii

Masdevallia ampullacea

Masdevallia eurynogaster

Masdevallia strobelii

Masdevallia constricta

Masdevallia fuchsii

Masdevallia filaria

Masdevallia mendozae

Masdevallia sotoana

Masdevallia filaria (pale form)

Masdevallia angulifera flava

Masdevallia limax

Masdevallia sotoana

Masdevallia sotoana is a recently described species from Ecuador that looks like a poor cousin of Masdevallia strobelii,  The coloration of the two species is similar and this species also has the glandular hairs covering the inside of the sepals that are a feature of all the species in section Saltatrices.  As noted with other species from this group, these have both the "hairs" and a kind a "belly" at the base of the flower, though this is not very distinct in Masdevallia sotoana.  The plant is a miniature, 7 cm tall, and the flowers, which are held just above the foliage, are about 2 cm long.