Masdevallia davisii
Encyclopedia
Masdevallia davisii is a species of the Masdevallia
genus of orchids
. It is also known as the Orchid of the Sun and was known to the Incas as qoriwaqanki ("golden waqanki") – due to its similarity in form to the red Masdevallia veitchiana
, known as waqanki.
It was named after Walter Davis
who discovered it near Cusco
in Peru
in 1873.
, 25 cm long. The flowers' predominant feature is their thickly textured and well-developed sepal
s, which end in three characteristic tails (one pointing up and the other two pointing down).
or sphagnum moss and watered regularly, with the potting media kept moist.
was dispatched by James Veitch & Sons of Chelsea, London
to collect samples of M. veitchiana
and related species. While collecting in the vicinity of Cusco
, Davis found another unidentified Masdevallia species. He sent flowers to Heinrich Reichenbach
for identification; in The Gardeners' Chronicle
, Reichenbach described this new species as "M. davisii", saying:
M. davisii flowered for the first time in England in August 1874 and rapidly gained favour, becoming widely cultivated in Europe for many years, but it eventually disappeared from collections, joining the ranks of "lost" orchid species, before being re-introduced by David Wellisch of San Francisco in 1978 and by Berthold Wurstle of Spielberg, Germany in 1980.
Masdevallia
Masdevallia, abbreviated Masd in horticultural trade, is a large genus of flowering plants of the Pleurothallidinae, a subtribe of the orchid family . There are over 500 species, grouped into several subgenera...
genus of orchids
Orchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
. It is also known as the Orchid of the Sun and was known to the Incas as qoriwaqanki ("golden waqanki") – due to its similarity in form to the red Masdevallia veitchiana
Masdevallia veitchiana
Masdevallia veitchiana, also known as Veitch's Masdevallia or King of the Masdevallias, is a species of the Masdevallia genus of orchids....
, known as waqanki.
It was named after Walter Davis
Walter Davis (botanist)
Walter Davis was an English plant collector, who collected in South America for James Veitch & Sons of Chelsea, London.-Early life:Davis was born at Sarson Street, now part of Amport, near Andover, Hampshire...
who discovered it near Cusco
Cusco
Cusco , often spelled Cuzco , is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935 which was triple the figure of 20 years ago...
in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
in 1873.
Description
M. davisii is grown cool and blooms in the late spring with a single brilliant yellow flower, usually deep orange inside. The 6.5 to 9 cm flowers hold themselves high and appear successively on an erect, slender pedunclePeduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
, 25 cm long. The flowers' predominant feature is their thickly textured and well-developed sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s, which end in three characteristic tails (one pointing up and the other two pointing down).
Distribution
M. davisii is found in growing on rocky slopes in Peru at elevations of between 3000 and 3600 metres.Culture
M. davisii can be grown in cool conditions in partial shade. It should be potted in fine bark with perlitePerlite
Perlite is an amorphous volcanic glass that has a relatively high water content, typically formed by the hydration of obsidian. It occurs naturally and has the unusual property of greatly expanding when heated sufficiently...
or sphagnum moss and watered regularly, with the potting media kept moist.
History
In 1873, Walter DavisWalter Davis (botanist)
Walter Davis was an English plant collector, who collected in South America for James Veitch & Sons of Chelsea, London.-Early life:Davis was born at Sarson Street, now part of Amport, near Andover, Hampshire...
was dispatched by James Veitch & Sons of Chelsea, London
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
to collect samples of M. veitchiana
Masdevallia veitchiana
Masdevallia veitchiana, also known as Veitch's Masdevallia or King of the Masdevallias, is a species of the Masdevallia genus of orchids....
and related species. While collecting in the vicinity of Cusco
Cusco
Cusco , often spelled Cuzco , is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935 which was triple the figure of 20 years ago...
, Davis found another unidentified Masdevallia species. He sent flowers to Heinrich Reichenbach
Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach
Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach was an ornithologist, botanist and the foremost German orchidologist of the 19th century...
for identification; in The Gardeners' Chronicle
The Gardeners' Chronicle
The Gardeners' Chronicle was a British horticulture periodical. It lasted as a title in its own right for nearly 150 years and is still extant as part of the magazine Horticulture Week....
, Reichenbach described this new species as "M. davisii", saying:
"This is a beautiful thing, much like M. harryana and veitchianaMasdevallia veitchianaMasdevallia veitchiana, also known as Veitch's Masdevallia or King of the Masdevallias, is a species of the Masdevallia genus of orchids....
.... The other parts of the flower are yellowish, white and of the deepest splendid orange inside; so that it would appear to give a most welcome contrast in a group of the scarlet and vermillion and white Masdevallias. It was discovered by a, most probably new collector, Mr. W. Davis... I have a very good opinion of this collector, who was introduced to me by a set of new dried Orchids; so I thought it my duty to attach the name of such a promising collector to such a welcome Masdevallia."
M. davisii flowered for the first time in England in August 1874 and rapidly gained favour, becoming widely cultivated in Europe for many years, but it eventually disappeared from collections, joining the ranks of "lost" orchid species, before being re-introduced by David Wellisch of San Francisco in 1978 and by Berthold Wurstle of Spielberg, Germany in 1980.