Masdevallia

Masdevallia is a genus of impressive plants of the Pleurothallidinae sub-tribe of the orchid family Orchidaceae. There are over 500 species grouped into several sub-genera. The genus is named for Jose Masdeval, a physician in the court of Charles III of Spain. The plants have fleshy, smooth leaves held in tufts. The three large sepals are fused along their edges and commonly have long tails. The petals are small with the sepals having all the colour and markings (often very brightly colored, large and showy). The plants are found from Mexico to southern Brazil, but mostly in the Andes of Ecuador and Colombia, Peru and Bolivia.

Below are a few examples of this spectacular genus:

• M. agaster
• M. brachyura
• M. coccinea
• M. floribunda