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Glite Dictionary
masdevallia

masdevallia

9.9
A small evergreen orchid with colorful flowers that have a tube-like shape
  • noun
  • /ˌmæs.dəˈvæl.i.ə/
  • Specialized
: masdevallia
  • Several masdevallias require cool temperatures and high humidity to thrive.

Examples

  • The greenhouse contains a rare masdevallia blooming in the corner.

  • I bought a beautiful masdevallia for my collection.

  • Botanists admire the unique flower shape of the masdevallia genus.

  • The masdevallia is known for its unique flower shape.

  • The greenhouse contains a rare masdevallia blooming in the corner.

  • Several masdevallias require cool temperatures and high humidity to thrive.

  • I bought a beautiful masdevallia for my collection.

Synonyms

orchid
vsmasdevallia
77 3.9

A plant with unusual colorful flowers that often last a long time

is a much narrower genus of small evergreen plants with fused sepals forming tubes

Surface Forms

masdevallia singular
masdevallias plural

Morphology

masdevallia = Masdevall (opaque) = Masdevall + ia

The word is formally built from a surname plus the genus-forming suffix '-ia', but the plant name is not semantically predictable for a typical learner.

Etymology

Masdevallia comes from a person's family name, 'Masdevall', which early plant scientists used to honour that person; many plant groups keep a name like this. That's why masdevallia now means a group of small, colorful orchids with their special tube-like flowers.