Anatomy lesson needed.

[cluelessmidwesterner]

I need an anatomy lesson for the structures on two of my hybrids please.

Is what is pictured in the first photo miss of my Rlc. Hsinying Scarlet 'Ching Hau' is a new pseudobulb? If so what is the swelling above it? It was reported 6 weeks ago and it seems to be agreeing with it.

The second set of photos is from my Cattianthe Secret Love. Is this a double leaf or some else?

[PaphMadMan]

You appear to have 2 new pseudobulbs starting in the first picture. It isn't all that unusual for a healthy plant to start multiple growths at once from the base of the same mature pseudobulb.

Hybrids that involve both unifoliate and bifoliate ancestors, as Cattlianthes do, will often have some growths with one leaf and others with 2 leaves. The genetics can be a little messed up, so the anatomy of bifoliate growths isn't always as graceful as the bifoliate ancestor may have been, but an extra leaf is always a plus.

In both cases, your plants appear to be healthy and making the most of their growth potential.

[estación seca]

As above.

The extra lump on top between the leaves is an expansion of the normal stem (pseudobulb) tissue between the leaves. Multi-leaf orchids such as Dendrobiums have segments of pseudobulb between leaves. Unifoliate Cattleyas seem not to do so - but read on. Some Cattleya alliance genera, like Epidendrum and allies, and Cattlianthe, also have multiple leaves with intervening pseudobulb segments. As PaphMadMan mentioned, hybrids of these occasionally revert to type.

Sympodial pseudobulbs can be regarded as short growth shoots that terminate and stop growing. Most plant shoots have leaves, or structures analogous to leaves, all along the shoots. In Cattleya tribe orchids (and other sympodial orchids) new shoots are enclosed in tight protective sheaths, which dry up as the growth matures. These develop during growth in exactly the same manner as do leaves.

Most plants have a new growth point, called a meristem, at the base of each leaf or sheath. This can form flowers or a new growth. In most Cattleya alliance plants, flowers come from the apex of the pseudobulb, and new growths from the lowest part of the stem. But some Cattleyas flower from the base.

[cluelessmidwesterner]

Thanks to both of you for clearing things up for me. It's hard to know what you're looking at when seeing them for the first time.