Rlc. Miss Thailand “Mariya”- what is happening?

[FranningtonBear]

I purchased this as a seedling with very few roots 10 months ago. Since purchase it has grown loads of roots, one “normal” pseudobulb and this, most recent, monster!

It is potted in a medium grade orchid bark with a little sphagnum, grown on a west facing windowsill with supplemental LED lights. There is a slight tinge of purple that isn’t clear in the pictures so I think it is receiving enough light.

I am fairly new to Catts and haven’t seen anything quite like this! What is happening please?

[estación seca]

It's confused. Seedlings often develop unusual growth somewhere between a sheath and a leaf when they're almost big enough to bloom. As it gets more mature it will probably be more normal.

There is a very small chance it's a plant with monstrose growth and it will always be abnormal. But that's very unlikely.

[FranningtonBear]

Wow! It’s true one really does learn something new every day! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for a bloom one it’s next growth cycle!

[Johndeaux22]

Originally Posted by estación seca

It's confused. Seedlings often develop unusual growth somewhere between a sheath and a leaf when they're almost big enough to bloom. As it gets more mature it will probably be more normal.

There is a very small chance it's a plant with monstrose growth and it will always be abnormal. But that's very unlikely.

+1 on what ES said.

It is more common to see mutations in a cloned plant such as this one. Some clonal propagation processes produce more mutations than others. In seedling populations, mutations do occur, but they seldom make it past a very early stage in their development, if they germinate at all.

It is not at all uncommon for a plant to make a “practice sheath” on the last one or two growths before first bloom as well.