What's this? A mutated Phal node?

[The Mutant]

I posted this question in one my threads in the Phalaenopsis Alliance (hybrids), but I thought that it might be better to post it here instead (it is a beginner's question after all).

So I accidentally bought a Phalaenopsis Noid today (yup, I kind of slipped, bumped into the shelf where it stood, and it sort of just fell into the basket - didn't notice it until I had paid for it ) and when I came home I noticed that some of the bracts (is that the right term?) covering the nodes were oddly large. I checked and it turned out that it was due to the Phal working on branching the spikes. This seems to be true for all but one of the bracts, which instead looks like a tiny-whiny little leaf.

Is this some sort of odd little mutation or a failed branching? It looks cute but strange.

[The Orchid Boy]

It could be a keiki but I'm not sure...

[The Mutant]

According to some other knowledgeable people it's just an ordinary node leaf.

I don't think it's a keiki because doesn't the keiki develop underneath the bract? This is the bract I think.

[The Orchid Boy]

Interesting...

[bballr4567]

A keiki will look like a little bitty plant coming off the actual inflorescences. Yours just looks like a little bit of extra material at the node.

[The Mutant]

Exactly, it looks a bit like a bract on steroids or something.

[tucker85]

It looks like a normal node to me.

[quiltergal]

It's just an odd looking bract.

[FairyInTheFlowers]

I agree, it's just a bract. I have seen 'excited' bracts actually growing into leaves that were about 1.5" long.

[The Mutant]

Then it shall henceforth be referred to as "Bractzilla".

It's very healthy looking Phal in general and it seems as if it's trying to grow everywhere, including making tiny leaves out of the nodes. I really do hope it grows into bigger leaf, that would be so cute. This is yet another reason for me to be happy I adopted it.