Masdevallia posadae forma rugosepala A.Doucette & J.Portilla, 2016

Doucette, Alfonso, Portilla, Jose & Cameron, Kenneth M., 2016, Ten new taxa in the orchid subtribe Pleurothallidinae (Epidendroideae, Epidendreae) from Ecuador, Phytotaxa 257 (3), pp. 230-248 : 235

Masdevallia posadae forma rugosepala A.Doucette & J.Portilla , f. nov. ( Figs. 4 , 11C )

Type:— ECUADOR. Without a specific locality, flowered in cultivation at Ecuagenera Orchid Nursery, 4 September 2015, Doucette 0308 (holotype: HA).

Diagnosis: The form differs from M. posadae f. posadae ( Luer 1982a: 74) in having rugose sepals and shorter thicker tails.

Epiphytic, caespitose herbs, roots 1 mm in diam. Stems 14–17 5 3 mm, enveloped by 2–3 papery sheaths, 5–25 5 5–7 mm. Leaves spathulate, 100–170 5 17–20 mm. Inflorescence a successively flowered raceme; peduncle triquetrous, 15–280 5 3 mm; bracts 14–17 5 4–6 mm; pedicel 15–25 5 4–6 mm; ovary 4 5 2 mm; dorsal sepal ovate, yellow suffused with orange, 14 5 7 mm, contracted into a yellow tail, 31 5 2 mm wide; the lateral sepals ovate, rugose, 24 5 5.5 mm, contracted into a yellow tail, 20 5 2 mm; the petals white, oblong, 6 5 2 mm; column 5.5 5 1.5 mm.

Etymology:— From the Latin ruga meaning “wrinkle” and sepalus meaning “sepal”. The name refers to the sepals, which distinguish this form from the typical form.

Notes:— Masdevallia posadae f. rugosepala appears to be an unusual phenotype of M. posadae , a species that had not be previously reported from Ecuador. An individual of the form described here was self-pollinated at Ecuagenera and produced individuals with rugose and non-rugose sepals in addition to individuals with short thick tails and long thin tails. The form is striking and appears distinct from M. posadae , but the traits distinguishing the typical form and the new form described here appear to be phenotypic variation within the species. No forms of Masdevallia posadae are reported by International Plant Names Index (2016) or Luer (2000). We feel the aberrant individual described here could be confused with an undescribed species, and therefore it is useful to indicate to other researchers its presence with its formal description.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Masdevallia posadae f. rugosepala. A. Habit, drawn to 5cm scale. B. Flower. C. Dorsal sepal. D. Lateral sepals. E. Petal. F. Lip. G. Flower with petals and sepals removed.All drawn to 1 mm scale.

FIGURE 11. A. Masdevallia constricta f. glabra. B. Masdevallia pachyura f. pardinella. C. Masdevallia posadae f. rugosepala. D. Acianthera nikoleana. E. Pleurothallis papillingua. F. Pleurothallis gigiportillae. G. Pleurothallis cardiostola f. magnidraba. H. Zootrophion machaqway. I. Stelis glaucus. J. Trisetella portillae.