Masdevallia sprucei is found in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru at elevations of 100 to 900 meters. Spruce found it growing epiphytically along the rivulet Uaiauaka, a tributary of Río Pasimoni (elevation 520 m), in the Amazonas Province of Venezuela in 1854. This species is found in wet forests at low elevations (100 to 800 m) in Amazonian Venezuela and Brazil, an area where very few other pleurothallids are found.
Masdevallia sprucei also called as Spruce's Masdevallia, Alaticaulia sprucei, is a species of the genus Masdevallia. This species was described by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach in 1878. It was named in honor of its English collector, R. Spruce.
IDENTIFY MASDEVALLIA SPRUCEI ORCHID PLANT
Masdevallia sprucei is found in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru at elevations of 100 to 900 meters. Spruce found it growing epiphytically along the rivulet Uaiauaka, a tributary of Río Pasimoni (elevation 520 m), in the Amazonas Province of Venezuela in 1854. This species is found in wet forests at low elevations (100 to 800 m) in Amazonian Venezuela and Brazil, an area where very few other pleurothallids are found.
It is a mini-miniature sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte with erect, slender ramicauls enveloped by 2 to 3 tubular sheaths carrying a single, apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical, obtuse leaf. This small species with slender roots is distinguished by the successively few-flowered raceme borne by a very slender peduncle, triquetrous in its lower portions and often becoming terete toward the apex.
Spruce's Masdevallia blooms in the late fall through earlier summer on a slender, 7 cm long, successively 3 to 4, single flowered, triquetrous inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul with a bract near the base and thin, tubular floral bracts holding the flowers just at leaf height. Well-grown plants produce a profusion of 2.5 cm yellow flowers from the base of the newer leaves. The sepals are a pale to medium yellow and microscopically pubescent within. The lateral sepals have an area of bright to dark red near the base and are connate for 5 mm to form a shallow mentum. The apices of the lateral sepals are subacute and contracted into thick, yellow tails that point downward, or in some cases, toward one another.
MASDEVALLIA SPRUCEI ORCHID PLANT 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 sprucei like good light, but not direct light. 17000 - 22000 lux is a good amount of light. About 70-90% shade is recommended in summer and 25% shade to full sun in winter. It will flower better if receive plenty of light and leaves are pale green rather than dark green when in heavy shade.
Temperature:
Spruce's Masdevallia are grown under intermediate to warm growing conditions from 13°C to 26°C. The temperatures consistently above 30°C will weaken the plants and they may drop their leaves. Ensure 6-12°C day/night difference to aid flower formation.
Humidity:
This orchid prefer high humidity in summer near 75-80% and may need a humidifier over summer. Keep air circulation at all times to prevent water staying on leaves as this will encourage leaf spot.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Masdevallia sprucei can be grown in basket or net pots. They can also be grown in pots or mounted. They prefer a continuously damp medium. Some growers use chopped sphagnum moss mixed with polystyrene chips. Others use a pine bark, polystyrene and coarse perlite mix. A mix of 5 parts bark, 5 parts perlite and 1 part fibrous, not fine, peat moss is recommended. Their roots are small and many and will fill pots very quickly when growing well. Deeper pots are generally used and plants are potted out from being divided into 5cm tubes, 7-10cm pots or 12-15cm pots depending on size.
Repot or divide the plants during the autumn or spring every two years or when they are sufficiently large enough. It is best, as with most plants, to repot when the plants are about to root to minimize disturbance. Huge clumps must be divided as a considerable number of species tend to completely rot from the oldest parts of the clump. Do not bury the base of the plants. Double potting is beneficial to keep the plant roots cool.
Watering:
Spruce's Masdevallia will not tolerate dry conditions and should be kept moist but not soggy. Their roots must be able to dry out slightly between waterings. In hot weather they need daily watering but in spring and autumn weekly watering should suffice. Water in the morning so leaves can be dry by midday. The plants should be provided with rain water or distilled water or a very pure water source. It is preferable to provide a humid environment than keeping roots too wet as they are prone to rotting.
Fertilizer:
Masdevallia sprucei are generally active throughout the year although growth may be slower in winter. Use a balanced fertiliser at 1/4 strength throughout the year; feed at every third or fourth watering. If in doubt do not feed. These plants do not like salt so roots will easily turn brown if over fed. If plants need a boost then a dilute foliar feed can be applied. Higher feeding schedules can be used if the grower masters their culture perfectly well. Do not use lime or dolomite lime.
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