Masdevallia caloptera?

[arcticshaun]

I bought this because I liked the idea of a multifloral Masdevallia but I've since come to question it's identification (from internet sources as well as the book Masdevallias Gems of the Orchid World). It has a moderate scent (noticeable from several feet away) that I would describe as sweet but somewhat musky. I would love to cross this with M. princeps for size and then M. coccinea for color so I could have large colorful multifloral Masdevallia (as if it were that simple)

Shaun

 

[Kyle]

I'm to lazy to look it up, and mine hasn't bloomed recently for it to be fresh in my mind, but try seeing if it looks like Masd. lehmanni. Its the only fragrant multiflora masd I can think of off the top of my head.

Kyle

 

[TutoPeru]

Shaun,
It looks like a Masdevallia caloptera to me. If you are in doubt give a look to Masd. abbreviata pictures.
I have a multiflora masd. pachyura that I am still waiting to have it in bloom....
Great pics, BTW

 

[NYEric]

There are dozens of fragrant Masdevallia species. If I have time later I'll also try to look it up.

 

[Kyle]

Yes, there are dozens of fragrant masd species, but I can only think of one fragrant multiflora species. I did look at my photos, and yours isn't lehmanni. I don't have a caloptera to compare it to.

Kyle

 

[Bolero]

I'm not going to say for sure but it doesn't quite look the same to me, you might need to do some research. It may be from the same family but a different species? The ones I've seen of that are a little different.

But I might be wrong of course.......any experts out there?

 

[NYEric]

Lynn O'Shaunnesey

 

[Roy]

Just looking through the Internet species website, the masd looks like its
Masd melanopsis and not caloptera website for reference http://orchidspecies.com/masmelanopus.htm
Iwas just looking at my pics of masd' also and found my caloptera to be nothing like their pic. I will keep looking though.
Roy

 

[Roy]

Here is my Masd caloptera taken last year, it had 10 spikes of flowers. As I said in the previous post, it looks nothing like the one shown on any Masd site that I can readily find. Anyhow here it is.

 

[Kyle]

I'm not an expert, but I do grow 70+ species of masd. Infortunatly, I was never fond of the multifloral species. Maybe Masd leptoura?

I do know that there is alot of varitablity in the the species polysticta and pachyara. So, I would only assume that caloptera would be variable as well.

Its hard to make an accurate guess without a better/clear picture of the lip and the petals. Guessing the species based on color and shape is difficult.

Kyle

 

[arcticshaun]

Roy, your caloptera looks correct based on my Masdevallia book and some internet pictures (some pictures don't match). I'm leaning towards M. melanopus or a variety of M. polysticta but I wouldn't attempt a definitive identification without more education on my part.

This is about as clear a picture as I can get with my camera and skills. Doesn't show the hairs on the flowers very well though.
Thanks for all your input guys.

Shaun

 

[Roy]

Shaun, I think I would stick to the melanopus myself.