Funny leaf or sheath? YOU DECIDE!

[kentuckiense]

Phrag. Red Lightning 'Windy Hill' HCC/AOS x Phrag. besseae 'Black Falls' AM/AOS from Windy Hill. The growth seems too small!

blurry shot for size:

 

[gore42]

Looks like a leaf to me, but I hope I'm wrong!

- Matt

 

[kentuckiense]

I agree.

 

[Candace]

Leaf.

 

[NYEric]

Sheath?!? Wishfull thinking..

 

[Heather]

Sheath!

I've never seen a Phrag put out another leaf within the last one so small, it's always been a sheath.

 

[kentuckiense]

Sheath!

I've never seen a Phrag put out another leaf within the last one so small, it's always been a sheath.

Yeah, that was the thing that made me wonder. The next oldest leaf is so tiny. Still, with my luck, it'll be a leaf.

 

[Rick]

Sheath!

I've never seen a Phrag put out another leaf within the last one so small, it's always been a sheath.

I'm with Heather on this.

Also if lindleyanum is in the parentage, their sheaths tend to be like this.

Sometimes its more like a "pre sheath".

 

[lienluu]

It's a shleaf.

 

[Rick]

It's a shleaf.

I like that!

 

[Jon in SW Ohio]

Looks like it'll develop into a sheath to me.

Jon

 

[kentuckiense]

Yeah, that'd be awesome if this developed into a sheath. I think this cross will bloom out to be fantastic.

 

[SlipperFan]

Sheath.

If we are right, do we win a prize???

 

[Heather]

Sheath.

If we are right, do we win a prize???

Yeah! What'd we win???

 

[Hien]

Yeah! What'd we win???

A photo of the bloom

 

[NYEric]

Sorry, I think it's too open to be a sheath, Hope I'm wrong but..

 

[Hien]

I think it is a sheath.
-In phrag, I think the texture of the sheath is a little bit thinner than the real leaf, I don't think it is as shiny either. and if it does not turn convex out soon , you have a spike in the making.

 

[cdub]

I'm not quite sure if "sheath" is a proper botanical term anyway. Anyone know if it's just a colloquial term used by slipper orchid people? It's just the bract of the inflorescence, correct? And, therefore just a modified leaf. So Zach, you have another leaf.

 

[Heather]

And, therefore just a modified leaf. So Zach, you have another leaf.

That will shortly send up an inflorescence.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Sheath......................Eric