lump on cattleya petal

[Izzie]

Before this flower opened, and about halfway through the bud development, I noticed that the bud was kind of 'sneering' at me. It looked as if the side of one of the outer petals had been sliced slightly to expose the inside of the bud.
Wasn't that noticeable or discolored, so I gave it little thought since I was about to leave for vacation.

Back from vacation, the flower has bloomed, and there is a hard lump on one of the petals.

It cannot be uncurled- it appears as if the petal has been pulled over and fused around something. I cannot find a seam.

Am I playing host to some sort of insect? Or something more sinister, like a virus?







The plant appears to be thriving in every other way, very vigorous root growth and firm green leaves.

It is a cross from Gold Country Orchids, Slc. Sierra Doll x C. Little Dipper