Masdevallia deformis

This very beautiful miniature Masdevallia has remarkable flowers which definately dont deserve their unflattering name. My guess is that the botanist who first named the species was looking at a flower in bud as the buds develop with the sepals sparate making the buds appear to be open flowers.

The flowers are very large compared to the compact plant, long lasting and pendulous.  The species is humming bird pollinated and flowers are held well clear of the leaves especially if grown mounted so that they can hang below the plant.

Masdevallia deformis is endemic to Ecuador and grows in cool wet forests from 1700-2800m and so grows well for us in our cloud forest greenhouse (min 12C) grown low down to avoid high summer temperatures.