Masdevallia princeps

The Chief Masdevallia, a common name that is just oh so fitting for this incredible orchid! I have impatiently been watching the long flower spike develop for a few months now, but it has been well worth the wait. The flower is just stunningly beautiful and breathtakingly large. The flower is 4 cm wide and measures an impressive 35 cm from dorsal sepal to sepaline tails. The species comes from central Peru, apparently near Tarapoto but unfortunately there are not a whole lot of collection data.

Masdevallia princeps is a medium sized cool growing epiphyte with nice medium green lush leaves that blooms consecutively on a 40 cm+ long inflorescence. It is from the very impressive section Durae, and Luer wants to call it Regalia princeps nowadays. Luer would in fact would like to move the whole section Durae as its own genus, Regalia, and even though I am torn I have so much respect for Dr. Luer’s work that I am inclined to go with it. I got it from Ecuagenera in September last year and it is now blooming for the first time. I grow it potted in a mesh pot with EpiWeb substrate in the cool vivarium, quite wet and humid, medium to low light. My clone has a lot more yellow coloring than other plants I have seen, but it is rather striking and I just adore it!!