Dracula – aos.org

Luer 1978

DRA-cu-la (click on the name to hear it spoken)Tribe: EpidendreaeSubtribe: Pleurothallidinae

These small to medium sized epiphytes have very unusual, somewhat other-worldly flowers, at least in the eyes of Carlyle Luer who established the genus in 1978 and named it after the Latin word for dragon. Prior to this time, the intriguing species of this genus were included in Masdevallia. Today approximately 90 species that are found in moist forests, mostly in western Colombia and Ecuador, are recognized. Dracula have short, creeping rhizomes with short, erect, one-leafed, thin textured shoots with a distinct midrib. The colorful, typically single flowers are usually large and pendent, although some species exhibit erect inflorescences. Individual flowers are usually produced singly in succession and in some species, inflorescences are capable of producing 5, 6 or more flowers during the lifetime of the inflorescence.

The tips of the sepals form long, slender tails. At the uppermost part, the short petals have a warty texture which can give the appearance of two eyes along either side of the nose-like column. Draculas are very popular in hobbyist collections and many species and hybrids are now in cultivation. Whether due to the interesting flowers or to the fanciful names, D. vampira, D. chimaera, D. bella, D. gorgona and D. simia are some of the sought-after species.

The Missouri Botanical Garden has published Luer and Dalstrms Thesaurus Dracularum, a finely illustrated treatise on the genus.

If you are interested in learning more, join the Pleurothallid Alliance, an AOS affiliated specialty group.

The World Monocot Checklist contains 124 accepted names, including 2 natural hybrids (9/2007).

In moist forests from southernmost Mexico to Peru

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Dracula - aos.org

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero