Need help identifying new NOID. Maxillaria?

[hyperform]

I recently got this as a rescue (previous owner had some major health problems) and as such, I have no idea what it is. I'm not interested, at this point, in trying to figure out the exact species/hybrid name, since without flowers that's just about impossible. But I am trying to come up with what it is. At first I thought it was some weird relative of Oncidium, but I decided that was just about impossible based on the appearance of the leaves. Now I'm leaning towards something more like Bulbophyllum or Mormolyca, just because of its habit of growing single, fleshy leaves atop relatively large pseudobulbs. The fact that the pseudobulbs have a papery sheath, at least while younger, makes me lean more towards Maxillariae, if not Maxillariinae. Additionally, at no point does it appear to have more than one leaf on any single growth.

But here's a description. Leaves are 14"-16", linear, conduplicate, leathery, and rigid. Pseudobulbs are 2"-3", flattened, ovoid, with papery sheath on only youngest growth. Inflorescence appears to arise from the leaf axil at the base of the pseudobulb, as with Maxillariae and Oncidiinae. The leaves are pointed at the tip and are decidedly sword-shaped in their overall appearance.

Based on the plants I've positively identified from the previous owner's collection, he seemed to prefer pink, white, red-orange, and purple flowers, and didn't have a single yellow flower. He also had a distinct preference towards large-blooming Cattleyas (out of 15 plants, 12 were Catts, 2 were Oncidiums, and then this one). He also had no species plants, so odds are overwhelming that this is some sort of hybrid.

Here are some photographs:

I peeled away the sheath on the newest pseudobulb to reveal new growth.

A more pulled-back view of the pseudobulbs. When I got this, most of the plant was already dead, and the living section was very shriveled. After a couple months of heavy watering, it's finally growing new roots and refilling its pseudobulbs.

You can see that the leaves are very thick and fleshy, and hold quite a bit of water.

This photo captures nearly the entire plant, so you can see its size and growing habit.

I would be grateful for any ideas at all. Once it blooms I'm sure I'll have a much better idea where it belongs, but I have no idea when that will be because of how stressed the plant was when I got it.

[msaar]

I would say you have a "mule-ear Oncidium", now in genus Trichocentrum, likely Trt. splendidum or one of it's hybrids.
The plant seems full-grown, but shows no sign of having previously flowered. This could well be from insufficient light level.

[hyperform]

Originally Posted by msaar

I would say you have a "mule-ear Oncidium", now in genus Trichocentrum, likely Trt. splendidum or one of it's hybrids.
The plant seems full-grown, but shows no sign of having previously flowered. This could well be from insufficient light level.

There's actually evidence that it's flowered many times. As I said, I had to cut off a large portion of it that had died back due to neglect, but even on this living section there are cut back spikes attached to nearly all of the backbulbs. I just haven't ever seen it flower yet. Currently it's in full sun, facing eastward, which it seems to really like.

I'm suspicious that this is a Trichocentrum, just on the basis that the leaves on this are more than twice as long as any of those species that I am looking at, plus they have a more rounded leaf tip whereas these are quite pointed. Additionally, these leaves are more linear, where Trichocentrum seems to tend more towards cuneate, ovate, and elliptic.

[msaar]

I still believe this is Trichocentrum splendidum. This species has leaves to 50 cm.
Here is a diagnostic photo Google Image Result for http://orchid.unibas.ch/phpMyHerbarium/image.php?bc=607821&w=330

[hyperform]

I suppose that's about the closest we can get at this point, at least until it blooms. I guess I was just really hoping it wasn't yet another Oncidium. If it is the Trt. splendidum, though, it'll be glaringly obvious as soon as it blooms, so there's that.

Thanks a bunch for your responses!

[RobS]

If it's a species it should be Trichocentrum splendidum. The difficulty is in that there are some hybrids around but that should be clear on flowering.