Black spots on Peristeria pendula pseudobulb
 

Hello! I took a risk and ordered a Peristeria pendula from an Etsy shop. It just arrived and I found that the pseudobulb is shriveled and has these black, caved in lesions all around it. Any ideas as to what's causing the black spots?

Possibly signs of previous rot that healed up.

But - just in case - could consider treatments such as agri-fos.

If the plant just arrived ------ and if they were already there ----- then the question would be --- what 'caused' those black spots.

Or, if those black spots are increasing in size and number, then it will be important to address it ------ even maybe needing to contact the seller.

Shrivelled bulb certainly means dehydrated plant ---- in which case, it will be necessary to unpot and inspect the roots for signs of rotting (eg. very wet roots and media), or signs of being too dry.

It may well be that your orchid is quite ok. Just make sure to give it satisfactory growing temperature, satisfactory lighting level, satisfactory air-movement around the plant and through the media, and avoid allowing the roots to run out of oxygen (ie. don't allow them to be waterlogged or too wet for long periods of time).