Dracula vampira

{{Speciesbox

| image = Dracula vampira 3.jpg

| image_caption =

| status = CITES_A2

| status_system = CITES

| status_ref =

| genus = Dracula

| species = vampira

| authority = (Luer) Luer

| synonyms = Masdevallia vampira Luer

}}

Dracula vampira is an epiphytic orchid species, endemic to Ecuador.{{cite web|title=Catalogue of Vascular Plants of Ecuador |publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden|url=http://www.mobot.org/mobot/research/ecuador/search.shtml|accessdate=2009-03-06}}

Description

File:Dracula-vampira.web.jpg

The orchid has large distinctive flowers; the sepals are rounded with the top corner pulled into a thin tail, which may extend up to 11 cm in length. Although green in colour, the sepals are covered by numerous blackish purple veins and the tails are almost completely black. The large sepals dwarf the petals and lip of the flower, which are white in colour and marked with purple and pinkish veins respectively. Dracula vampira is a large epiphyte, meaning that it does not grow in soil, it has many stems; the erect leaves are between 15 and 28 cm long.Luer, C.A. (1993) Systematics of Dracula. Missouri Botanical Gardens. The generic name of this species - Dracula means little dragon, refers to the flower resembling a hooded vampire.Hermans, J. & Hermans, C. (1997) An Annotated Checklist of the Genus Dracula. Orchid Digest Corporation.

Taxonomy

Dracula vampira was scientifically described and named Masdevallia vampira by Carlyle A. Luer in 1978. Later the same year he moved it to the new genus, Dracula, which he also named.{{cite POWO |id=84027-2 |title=Dracula vampira (Luer) Luer |access-date=6 February 2025}}{{cite POWO |id=30001158-2 |title=Dracula Luer |access-date=6 February 2025}}

Distribution

Dracula vampira is endemic to Ecuador in South America being found only on the slopes of Mount Pichincha. It is found between 1900 and 2200 metres above sea level,Jenny, R. (1997) Dracula vampira. Caesiana,8: center page. where it is fairly locally abundant.

Ecology

As an epiphyte D. vampira does not grow in soil, instead it grows on the lower sections of trees on the forested mountainside; many plants may accumulate on damp, leaf litter.Attenborough, D. (1995) The Private Life of Plants. BBC Books, London.

Conservation

Dracula vampira was classified as Vulnerable on the 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants,Walter, K.S. & Gillett, H.J. [eds] (1998) 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants. Compiled by the World Conservation Monitoring Center. IUCN - The World Conservation Union, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK (although this status no longer appliesFor explanation, see {{cite web|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/about/faqs#Why%20is%20the%20species%20I%20am%20looking%20for%20not%20on%20the%20Red%20List|title=Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=IUCN|accessdate=28 April 2021}}) and listed on Appendix II of CITES, together with almost all orchids.{{cite web |url=http://www.unep-wcmc-apps.org/isdb/CITES/Taxonomy/tax-species-result.cfm?Genus=Dracula&Species=vampira&source=plants |title=Dracula vampira (Luer) Luer |work=UNEP-WCMC Species Database |publisher=UNEP-WCMC |accessdate=July 21, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130416010138/http://www.unep-wcmc-apps.org/isdb/CITES/Taxonomy/tax-species-result.cfm?Genus=Dracula&Species=vampira&source=plants |archivedate=April 16, 2013 }} It is popular in cultivation for its extremely dramatic, large flowers.

References

External links

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vampira

Category:Endemic orchids of Ecuador

Category:Plants described in 1978