Name: Dracula wallisii (Rchb.f.) Luer
Synonym: Masdevallia wallisii Rchb.f.
Etymology: wallisii = named in honor of Gustav Wallis, an important 19th-century German plant collector who discovered the species.

First description: Described in 1875 by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach (Rchb.f.) as Masdevallia wallisii; transferred to the genus Dracula in 1978 by Carlyle A. Luer.
Origin / Distribution: Colombia (Central Andes).
Location / Habitat: Epiphytic, growing in humid montane cloud and fog forests at elevations of approximately 1,600 to 2,600 meters. It inhabits deeply shaded, permanently moist areas on moss-covered tree trunks in a cool microclimate.
Description & Notes: Dracula wallisii is a medium- to large-sized, clump-forming species without pseudobulbs that produces upright, robust, leathery, narrow-elliptic leaves. The large, spectacular flowers appear on creeping or downward-pointing inflorescences. The sepals are widely spread, whitish to yellowish on the outside and densely covered inside with reddish-brown to dark purple spots and fine hairs. They end in very long, dark, threadlike tails. In the center, the large, white, strongly wrinkled lip (epichile) creates a striking, mushroom-cap-like contrast.

In cultivation, this highland species requires consistently cool conditions with a pronounced nighttime temperature drop; it does not tolerate summer heat well. Since the inflorescences grow strictly downward, it must be grown in hanging slatted baskets or open-mesh pots. The substrate (preferably pure sphagnum moss) must be kept constantly moist and must never dry out completely. Humidity above 75–80% and steady, gentle air circulation are essential.

In vitro culture: You will receive a flask containing 4 young plants. The plants are generally already large enough to be removed from the flask. After opening, carefully remove all the nutrient medium from the fine roots with lukewarm water, then plant the young plants in a fine, very airy, slightly moisture-retentive substrate with sphagnum. During the first few weeks, we recommend very high humidity, cool to moderate temperatures, and sheltered light. Keep evenly moist, avoid allowing it to dry out completely, and ensure gentle, continuous air movement.