Masdevallia hirtzii

Very typical of the section of Masdevallia to which it belongs (Saltatrices) with its brightly colored, tubular flowers, Masdevallia hirtzii is from Ecuador and Peru.  It is a very small plant, only 8 cm tall, and produces an abundance of 4 cm flowers if well grown.  It is supposed to be temperature tolerant but I grow my plant intermediate to cool in sphagnum moss in a net pot.  It blooms faithfully for me every year in late autumn and winter.

Masdevallia hirtzii

Very typical of the section of Masdevallia to which it belongs (Saltatrices) with its brightly colored, tubular flowers, Masdevallia hirtzii is from Ecuador and Peru.  It is a very small plant, only 8 cm tall, and produces an abundance of 4 cm flowers if well grown.  It is supposed to be temperature tolerant but I grow my plant intermediate to cool in sphagnum moss in a net pot.  It blooms faithfully for me every year in late autumn and winter.

Three Orange Saltatrices Masdevallias

None of these plants had a lot of flowers and since they are all from the same group and the same color I thought I'd do them in one post.  The species in the Saltatrices groupof Masdevallias have tubular flowers, bright colors, glandular hairs lining the inside of the flower and a distinct bulge at the bast of the flower tube.  The photos of the three shown here display these features.  The three species in order are Masdevallia glomerosa, a species I've not posted before, Masdevallia mendozae, and Masdevallia hirtzii, all from Ecuador.  All three are small, the plants growing to about 10 cm with 3-4 cm flowers.

Masdevallia hirtzii

This wonderful species is from Ecuador and Peru and belongs to the Saltatrices group of Masdevallias.  It is typical of the species in that group with brightly colored, tubular flowers that are lined with glandular hairs, and a pronounced swelling at the base of the flower, a "belly."  The plant is 6-8 cm tall with 5 cm flowers and blooms for three or four months, though the individual flowers do not last that long.

Masdevallia hirtzii

Masdevallia hirtzii with its a colorful and abundant flowers always provides a a bit of color in the middle of the winter.  It always produces its flowers for me from November to January and though the individual flowers only last a few weeks, it continues to produce them over that three month period, but then is done blooming for the year, too.  It belongs to the Saltatrices group and the characteristics of this group are evident in the photos, tubular flowers and a "belly' at the base of the flower tube.

Saltatrices Masdevallias

The Saltatrices group of Masdevallias are especially desirable and attractive, at least to me.  They are small plants, the flowers are almost all brightly colored, and most of them are easy to grow and profuse bloomers, if given the right conditions, cool temperatures and good humidity.

They are distinguished to the casual eye by their more or less tubular shape, by a kind of "belly" or bulge at the base of the sepaline tube, and by the glandular hairs that line the inside of the flower.  Their bright colors, reds, oranges and yellows are also often an indication of their relation to this group.

Masdevallia hirtzii

Masdevallia ampullacea

Masdevallia eurynogaster

Masdevallia strobelii

Masdevallia constricta

Masdevallia fuchsii

Masdevallia filaria

Masdevallia mendozae

Masdevallia sotoana

Masdevallia filaria (pale form)

Masdevallia angulifera flava

Masdevallia limax