This weekend’s sunlight really enhances the vibrant colours of our Masdevallia veitchianas that are flowering again. The flowers look orange and red but this coplour is actually made from the flowers combination of a yellow ground and tiny raised pink warts – a clever trick.

This species is endemic to Peru where it grows between 2000m and 4000m as a terrestrial amongst grasses and we are indebted to Henry Oakley for these great photographs of the species on Machu Picchu. This habitat explains the long flower spikes which carry the flowers well clear of the leaves and in reach of pollinating humming birds.

The Incas call the species Wajanki.