by Chuck Nishihira
When I first found myself gravitating to pleurothallid orchids, it was the large-flowered Masdevallias that pulled me in. Here in the Cordillera del Condor of Ecaudor, I find myself sitting on the top of a ridge among all the mosses and ferns, and on a twig closer to the ground than I would have imagined, is a tiny plant of Masdevalliaย deformis. A bright red orange lantern of a flowerย dangling like a marker for the plant being smothered by the moss.
Tucked into the shadows, a plant of Masdevallia bangii grewย a few inches away. ย Tiny, charming flowers catching a little light. I have seen this species in collections many times, as it is widespread not only in latitude, but also in elevation. It’s beautiful presence added to the mixture of tininessย without taking over the scene. In that momentย kneeling on the ground,ย my understandingย disciplined by the viewfinder, I nowย understand why it is my appreciation for these less flamboyant species has grown so much.
