Masdevallia Chimaera Var Mooreana - The Chimaera Dracula

by Henry Frederick Conrad Sander

This impressive illustration shows us the unique appearance of Masdevallia Chimaera Var. Mooreana also known as The Chimaera Dracula , a flower known for its tall sepals and distinctive, dark and mottled coloring. This artwork was created to describe one of the specimens that first caught attention due to its uniqueness by Henry Frederick Conrad Sander, a man often referred to as the "Orchid King."

The illustration by Sander shows us all of the characteristics that helped earn the flower its name. The dark burgundy color spots as well as tail-like petal tips are particularly interesting. For Victorians, this species of plant was an extremely rare find. The flowers were known to grow only in Andean cloud forests.