More Catasetum Questions

[Chlorophile]

I'm really finding catasetums interesting, they seem so different from every other orchid (granted, every other orchid to me is a phal). What I can't seem to find out is what happens to the old psuedobulbs. What I understand is that each year the orchid produces a new psuedobulb and the leaves and flowers come from this new growth. Do the old bulbs do anything or do they just act as nutrient storage? Can you remove an old bulb and plant it and start a new orchid and if so, why would it flower and produce leaves as a new plant but it won't if it stays attached to the other bulbs?