# Have you seen one of these on a Catt ?



## FlowerFaerie (May 10, 2012)

Hi everyone,
I was admiring my lovely new Iwan appleblossom yesterday, and noticed this!
I have no experience in Catts, but it looks unusual to me...
It's growing out of the sheath on a pseudobulb.
Please can someone set my mind at rest & tell me what it is?


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## NYEric (May 10, 2012)

The first photo is missing a leaf; the second looks like normal catt sheaths to me.


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## Rick (May 10, 2012)

It looks like a new growth coming up from the stem where a spike should be.

I've never had this happen in Catts, but from some Paphs that what I thought had crown rotted or blasted a spike.


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## nikv (May 10, 2012)

I've seen this occur in Catts that have been mericloned extensively. Not sure what causes it. I don't think it hurts the plant, but instead of blooming it's putting out a new growth.


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## FlowerFaerie (May 10, 2012)

Nikv - Are you saying that this could be an expression of Clonal Degeneration?
That sort of makes sense... thanks. 
It's nice to know someone else has seen similar


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## nikv (May 10, 2012)

Yeah, I had an I. Appleblossom with the same problem years ago. I think the plant eventually died on me.


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## maitaman (May 11, 2012)

Any orchid that blooms from the apex may do this. It is because meristematic tissue that would usually form a bud and flower instead produces another PB. Sometimes if left alone it will form another plant that can be removed and planted. This is nature´s own way to form meristematic clones.


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## FlowerFaerie (May 11, 2012)

Thank you. It's nice to learn new things, but I prefer my plants to be predictable until I know what I'm doing. 
I will leave it alone and hope for the best. And keep you posted as to what it does next. Perhaps it will turn somersaults in the pot


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