Catasetum expansum

[Roberta]

First of my Catasetinae to bloom (except for Clowesia Rebecca Northen that did its thing in February). Catasetum expansum, this time with all female flowers on this spike. I fullly expect another spike later My other one (a division of the same plant) is just starting a spike, maybe I'll get male flowers. The female flowers look pretty much the same for the whole genus, so are pretty useless for identification, and not much to look at. If you're a breeder, of course, you need them.What causes a plant to produce one or the other of these dimorphic flowers? Anybody who thinks they know, inform Fred Clarke... he has tried to control the process and totally failed. You get what you get.
I'm including a photo of a male flower from a previous year, just for reference, and another blooming where both males and females were on the same inflorescence. Yes, the same plant.

[DirtyCoconuts]

This is bizarro world, Roberta. On the same spike!?!?

Also, the female flowers are unmistakably some form of pesto tortellini!!!! Lol delicious!

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

This is bizarro world, Roberta. On the same spike!?!?

Also, the female flowers are unmistakably some form of pesto tortellini!!!! Lol delicious!

The last photo, yes both on the same spike. Some plants seem to do it more than others. I have a Catasetum fimbriatum that does it sometimes too.

[isurus79]

Very cool! Any plans to fertilize?

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Very cool! Any plans to fertilize?

Nope. In no particular order, I don't have the setup for flasking, don't have room for a gazillion babies, also don't have a great batting average for tiny seedlings, and besides it's somewhat of a weed... has already been divided, and both divisions will be ready for it in another year or so. 4 years or so for exponential growth is probably sufficient.