Leaf only growth on Blc. Cattleya...WHAT PLEASE!

[Katt]

Hi, I purchased some Blc. catts the other day and upon re-planting them 3 of the plants have one to two additional leafs growing out of the bottom part of the cluster. The leafs are healthy looking like the others connected to pseudobulbs but they don't have a pseudobulb that grew first then the leaf, just the leaf with a really small neck. These leafs are further down on the plant.

Whats up here please?

[ischel1]

I believe those are primary leaves, the ones that grow when the plant is a baby and before it forms pseudobulbs. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.) Just let them be. There is nothing wrong with your orchid.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

It is probably as Ischel says, but post a photo and let us take a look. As long as they are healthy, I would not spend any time worrying about them.

Cheers,
BD

[Katt]

I can't post a pic, wish I could.

The plant is young but they already have pseudobulbs on all three plants. There are like three pseu's and like one or two of these tag along leafs.
It really is weird. I wish I could find a pic of these on the internet. I did a Google search and found nothing on it as well.

[smartie2000]

pseudobulbs form very early in new growth, before any leaf opens.
The pesudobulb-less leaves might be the baby leaves as suggested. Those will wilt off as the plant matures.

[Bikerdoc5968]

I'm absolutely not an expert when it comes to any orchid, and with this disclaimer this is what I have observed with my catt's: At the base of the PB is located a small node and with time this developes into the new growth...and then again sometimes they turn dark and never mature. The new leave seems to develop first from this growth and with time the base matures into a swollen body recognizable as a pseudobulb. Any errors or omissons, I'm sure someone will kindly correct.

[hcubed]

Great pictures there BikerDoc - those would be great for an article or something!

[clintdawley]

Yep, Bikerdoc is right. Much patience is required! The lifecycle of a new growth in cattleyas is an important orchid-growing lesson to learn.

[Katt]

Say, nice pictures.
My cat doesn't look like that. I wish I could post a pic but can't.

The leaf comes out from the bottom of the plant as a skinny neck and a full open leaf on top of the skinny neck. That's noththing more.
Hmmm.
One of my other (or two) have one to two of these things. They ar not the same plant but are catt's.

[Bikerdoc5968]

Obviously, you need a digital camera to post pics. So maybe for now you may know someone who might befriend you and take your pics or loan you the camera....it's the only way to go and very easy to post the pics...... if I can do it, anyone can! I'm hooked on digital and was a hardcore film guy in my other life.