What's growing on my Vanda Rothschildiana seedling?

[dlbush]

Does anyone have an idea what that spherical thing emerging from the center might be?

[cucubirds]

I think new leave is folded inside. You try if you can gently lift it up & straighten it.

Or when it gets bigger, it will do the job itself. If not, you have to do for it.

[dlbush]

I don't have a better photo of the whole plant, but the crown (where a new leaf is SLOWLY emerging) is actually to the right of the spherical thing (in the second photo).

[AtantaR]

GMO??

[dlbush]

I also thought of alien pod. It looks too smooth and too large to be a root. Since I bought it a couple of months ago this guy has put out several roots, but no leaf growth whatsoever. And then all of a sudden this thing pops up.

GMO??

[AtantaR]

who knows?!? NA NEW NA NEW... ...maybe its a bug larvae who is manipulating the growth of the plant cells for its home? Ive seen this in nature and isnt uncommon...But in orchids? unheard of... i have no idea ..cancer? Has it ever worked in a factory with chemicals, built prior to 1945 or has been subjected to government testing of unknown sorts?? or maybe it just wants to be an apple when it grows up!!

[dlbush]

I swear I haven't been splicing new genes into it or exposing it to chemical mutagens! Pinky swear!

[catttan]

Most probably a new folded leaf. Since it is so close to the crown I suspect it is the continuing growth of the crown that has somehow grown/or been forced sideways through the older leaf that preceded it. Once it breaks through the older, tougher leaf it will grow straight upwards again.

[dlbush]

Thanks for the ideas! I'll keep everyone updated.

It's the tiniest V. Rothschildiana I've ever seen, and it's growing SOOOO slowly!! My other vandas have far outperformed it in vegetative growth. Especially the Ascda Memoria Tienchai seedling that I purchased later, which is growing like a weed.

[AtantaR]

if it is a seed grown plant then you probably have the runt or a runt of the litter...interesting though