Name: Masdevallia Mundyana gx
Synonyms: Masdevallia Heathii gx
Etymology: Mundyana = named in honor of a member of the Mundy family.
Original description: Registered in 1891 by the renowned nursery Sander (St. Albans) with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).


Description & notes: Masdevallia Mundyana is a classic, vividly colored primary hybrid that combines the best traits of its spectacular parents. The plant grows in a compact, tufted manner and has fleshy, upright, leathery leaves without pseudobulbs. The striking, large flowers grow singly on slender stems. Characteristically, the sepals are fused into a prominent calyx structure that tapers into fine, long tails. Due to the strong influence of Masd. veitchiana, the flowers often display a brilliant orange-red, overlaid with a fascinating, iridescent purple shimmer caused by microscopic, colored hairs on the surface.

In cultivation, the substrate (preferably fine sphagnum moss or fine bark mixes) must never dry out completely, as the plant lacks water storage organs. A noticeable nocturnal temperature drop as well as watering with low-salt water (rainwater or reverse osmosis water) are essential for the sensitive root system and successful flower formation.