Name: Masdevallia caesia Roezl
Etymology: caesia = bluish-gray / gray-green — refers to the characteristic bluish-frosted sheen of the leaves.

First description: 1883 by Benedikt Roezl in Regel's Gartenflora (32: 342).
Origin / Distribution: Colombia (endemic to the Cordillera Occidental).
Location / Habitat: Epiphytic, growing in cool, extremely moist montane cloud forests in the Andes at elevations of approximately 1,600 to 2,200 meters. It inhabits shaded sites on thick branches and tree trunks with constant fog formation and continuous air movement.
Description & Notes: Masdevallia caesia is one of the most extraordinary and spectacular species in the genus. Unlike most upright-growing Masdevallia species, it has a strictly hanging (pendulous) growth habit. The long, fleshy leaves are narrowly lanceolate, hang down elegantly, and immediately stand out due to their matte, bluish-green to gray coloration. The inflorescence is also directed downwards and bears a single, relatively large flower. The sepals are fused into a tube, taper into long, pointed tails, and show a fascinating brownish-yellow to dark purple coloration. The flowers emit an unmistakable, often unpleasant odor that attracts specific pollinators.

In cultivation, due to its growth habit, this species must be grown mounted on cork or bark or in hanging slat baskets. It requires cool to at most intermediate conditions year-round, consistently high humidity of over 75–80%, and a noticeable drop in temperature at night. The substrate (e.g., a base of sphagnum moss) must never dry out completely, as the plant has no storage organs, but excellent air circulation is required.

In vitro culture: You will receive a bottle with 4 young plants. The plants are usually already large enough to be bottled. After opening, carefully remove the nutrient medium completely from the fine roots with lukewarm water and place the young plants on moist sphagnum or in a very fine, airy substrate. During the first few weeks, we recommend very high humidity, cool conditions, and shaded to bright, protected light. Keep the young plants evenly moist and ensure continuous gentle air movement; later, due to the hanging growth habit, a mounted or hanging culture is particularly suitable.