Orchid disintegrating from inside out

[katsucats]

Has anyone seen something like this? The stem just hollows from the inside, and the plant flops over and dies. This is the second time this has happened a couple weeks after the order. Both of them are from a highly reputable vendor. I've never seen anything like this before in any of the other plants I've owned. I'm a bit wary of even asking for a refund after having asked for one just a few weeks ago.

[SouthPark]

I recall that for some cases - during winter time, or if the plant gets exposed to freezing temperatures - depending on what plane or carrier it is ------- orchids can certainly go downhill in health relatively quickly soon afterwards.

Another possibility is rot occuring while the plant is packaged within a box - with relatively wet media etc. Some fungal and/or viral activity could start up.

[estación seca]

That can happen with Catasetinae at that stage if they dry out even briefly, or if they get too hot during shipping.

Put the plant somewhere hot, humid and in bright shade. Keep watering. It might push another growth, especially if the newest roots remain alive.

[Leafmite]

It is almost like Dampening off of sprouting seeds. I wonder if it is related. How to prevent seedling damping off | UMN Extension

In my experience, fungus issues can infect and overcome a plant within days. The orchid probably could have used some extra Calcium while the new pseudobulb was growing. If you can determine the type of fungus that caused this, you might have a better idea when the infection began...whether before/during/after shipping.

Here is a good guideline to different diseases (and pests, too). Hope it helps.
https://www.staugorchidsociety.org/P...ySueBottom.pdf

[SouthPark]

Hopefully a new sprout will come out from the spaces near the existing bulbs later. What you can do is to see if the base of the leaves ----- right at the base, or within the crown area ----- is doing the rotting. Or see if it is the bulb that is rotting and going mushy.

Maybe if you see the same sort of pattern or sequence of events occurring for incoming orchids like this -------- then could possibly pre-spray/pre-treat with a systematic fungicide (eg. phosphorous acid - monterey garden phos, or even maybe copper solution at appropriate strength).