Masdevallia atahualpa (Sampled Red List Index Flora of Peru)

Masdevallia atahualpa

Location ²

Endemic to Peru. Found in the Amazonas Province in Northern Peru. Only two specimen collections were found both from the southern part of the Province in the Leimebamba-Balsas and Chachapoyas Districts.

Habitat Type ²

Reported to prefer cool growing conditions and to be at an altitude of 3,000-3,100 m

Description ²

A small sized, epiphytic, northwestern Peruvian species with stout, erect to suberect ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 loose, tubular sheaths carrying a single, apical, erect to suberect, thickly coriaceous, oblong, obtuse leaf that is cuneate below into the stout petiole that blooms in the spring an suberect, stout, 1 1/5 to 1 4/5" [3 to 4.5 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul with a thin basal bract and a losse tubular floral bract holding the large, fleshy flower at the base of the leaf blade.

References ²

Chadburn, H. 2013. Masdevallia atahualpa. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
http://www.orchidspecies.com/masatahualpa.htm
Gerritsen, M.E. and Parsons, R. 2005. Masdevallias. Timber Press, Portland.
Roque, J. and León, B. 2006. Orchidaceae endémicas del Perú. In: B.León, J.Roque, C.U. Ulloa, N. Pitman, P.M. Jørgensen and A.Cano (eds), El libro rojo de las plantas endémicas del Perú, pp. 759-878. Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima.