Masdevallia minuta is native to Bolivia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru and Suriname. These epiphytic plants are widespread in a large area of northern and western South America, but so far they have not been found in Brazil, Colombia or Ecuador...
Masdevallia minuta also called as The Tiny Masdevallia, Acinopetala minuta, Masdevallia surinamensis, is a species of the genus Masdevallia. This species was described by John Lindley in 1843. In Latin, minutus means very small, which in the case of this species, is an accurate description of this tiny plant.
IDENTIFY MASDEVALLIA MINUTA
Masdevallia minuta is native to Bolivia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru and Suriname. These epiphytic plants are widespread in a large area of northern and western South America, but so far they have not been found in Brazil, Colombia or Ecuador. They grow in various habitats, ranging from damp forests on the plains to the mountain rainforests, at altitudes from sea level to 1600 m. One of the earliest described species of Masdevallia, it was discovered by Splittgerben in Surinam in 1842, although a precise locality is not known.
It is a mini-miniature sized, hot to cool growing species, which reaching 3.0-6.5 cm in height, with slender, erect, 0.5-1.0 cm long ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, narrowly obovate, subacute, 2.5-5.5 cm long leaf that gradually narrows below into an indistinct petiolate base.
The Tiny Masdevallia blooms in the summer and fall on a slender, erect, filiform, 15 to 60 cm long, single flowered inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul, a bract below the middle and a floral bract carrying the single flower held way above the leaves. The flowers are 1-2 cm in diameter. They have smooth, white petals of the outer whorl. The dorsal petal is 1.2-1.7 cm long, including a cylindrical, light yellow petiole. At the base, it is connected to the side flakes, creating a slightly curved, cylindrical, cup-shaped tube. The triangular free part tapers into the tail slightly forward. The lateral outer petals are connected to each other, forming an oblong, 2-piece petal, including narrow, triangular-elongated, semi-cylindrical tails. The oblong flakes of the inner whorl are white, stained yellow, and the prick is greenish-white. When well bloomed, the cloudlike appearance of the abundant white flowers held above the leaves can be quite striking.
MASDEVALLIA MINUTA CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Masdevallia minuta needs a light level of 8000-15000 lux. It requires a medium bright position. The light should be filtered and dispersed, and the plants should never be exposed to direct sunlight. Strong air movement should be ensured all the time.
Temperature:
It is a thermophilic plant. In summer, the average day temperature is 30-31 ° C and night 21 ° C, with a daily amplitude of 10-11 ° C. The average winter temperature is between 23-27 ° C and at night 14-16 ° C, giving a diurnal difference of 8-12 ° C.
Humidity:
The Tiny Masdevallia needs the average humidity of about 75% for most of the year, falling to about 65% at the end of winter and at the beginning of spring.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Masdevallia minuta grow well attached to pieces of tree ferns or cork with high humidity and daily watering during the summer. During the dry and hot periods it may be necessary to water several times a day.
They are usually grow in pots with a quickly draining excess water substrate, which, however, contains substances that retain a certain amount - such as chopped sphagnum moss or perlite. Wood charcoal is also often added to ensure the air permeability of the substrate and protection against acidification.
It is recommend repotting the plants every year. Repotting should take place in late winter or early spring, but can also be done at any time between autumn and spring, unless it conflicts with the flowering of the plant.
Watering:
Precipitation is moderate to heavy for most of the year, but in late autumn and early spring it is slightly lower. The substrate of the plants in cultivation should be moist, and between each watering should only slightly dry out. In late autumn, watering should be gradually reduced.
Fertilizer:
If the plants grow in sphagnum moss, tree fern fibers or osmunda fern roots, they should be fertilized every 3-4 weeks 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of orchid fertilizer. If they are grown in a bed of pine bark, fertilization, you can be applied every 1-2 weeks.
At the beginning of the year, when the plants grow actively, instead of fertilizers with equal proportions NPK, you can use fertilizers with high nitrogen content then in late summer and autumn use high phosphorus fertilizers to stimulate plants to flower.
Rest period:
In winter, the amount of water to the Masdevallia minuta should be reduced. They can dry more than in the summer, but they can not dry out completely. Fertilization should be limited until spring, when stronger watering resumes.
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