Reproductive aspects of the orchid Masdevallia ignea Rchb.f in conditions of culture in the botanical garden José Celestino Mutis

Abstract

Masdevallia ignea is a semiterrestrial threatened orchid inhabitant of the high forests in the Colombian Eastern mountain range. This work was developed on plants of the collection of the Botanical Garden José Celestino Mutis. In order to determine some aspects of its reproductive biology in conditions of culture it was analyzed: its floral Biology, its reproductive phenology and its reproductive system. It was possible to establish that this specie in conditions of culture displays inflorescences with sepals of showy colors; the reproductive parts are internal and small; the flower is not adapted for self-pollination, present homogamy during a period of five days and it does not display floral rewards. This species presents two annual period of blooming where each basal shoot can display several flowers simultaneously. This orchid is a completely self-compatible species that requires of a vector for the deposition of his pollinia on its stigma surface and it does not produce fruits asexually