Masdevallia pachyura

Masdevallia pachyura is a miniature Masdevallia species that produces multiple flowers on each spike. The leaves are 8cm high with spikes to 15cm with up to about eight flowers each and as you can see here our stock plant has four flower spikes out. The individual flowers are well worth a close look with their orange spots. In fact the clone above is named ‘caudas orange’ and the deep orange lip contrasts beautifully with the yellow tails on the sepals. Our other clone here is simply called 'yellow' which doesn't really do the flowers justice. Plants have the added bonus of attractive glossy dark leaves.

 

Masdevallia pachyura is found in cloud forests from 1000 to 3000m in Ecuador and Peru. As could be expected from its range it is a variable species but all have pretty little flowers and in our experience the species is straight forward in cultivation and multiplies relatively quickly.