Frankensteins Monster?

[Djarum Black]

I have a question for some of the savvy flasking folks out there.
I've been playing with different flasking mediums and getting both good and bizzare results.

My question is, what the heck is growing in this jar?
 

It germinated like the rest of the "normal" flasks, but it never showed signs of leaves or roots. It kinda looks like replecating plant cells. They just keep reproducing something that looks like fish eggs, but never forms into a plant.

These flasks below look normal, they all have leaves forming and roots begining to grow.
 
 
So I guess what I am asking, is what do you think went wrong with the one on top?
Can flasking medium cause such strange growth?
Was it maybe bad seed? Maybe it's a genetic deformity or something?
Anyone have any expereince with weird monster orchid flasks? lol

Thank you in advance for any insight anyone has on this.

[justatypn]

I know nada about flasking but you've come a long way....wtg DJ

orchid monsters

[Lagoon]

I'm clueless about this stuff, sorry I can't help.
This is a very cool thread, looking forward to see what the others will say

[Djarum Black]

Thank you Cheryl,


Thank you Gloria! I also can't wait to find out the answer. The mutent flask wants to know what it is! lol

[michael_exler]

This link may better explain what you are observing.
Orchid Lab

[Djarum Black]

Hi Michael,

Unfortunately, I do not think they are protocorms. They may have started that way, but what they are now is not that. Each mass on the gel medium started as a single protocorm. There were only 6-7 seeds that germinated from that batch. So each lump you are looking at is only 1 seed.

Also this flask is 9 months old. That jar was flasked in February of 07.
Instead of making leaves, the potocroms just kept producing round "ball" like cells. They got bigger and bigger, even sometimes toppled over from the weight of the piles, but never grew into anything.

For comparison’s sake, both the normal and abnormal jars are all Cattleya's species. However, the normal looking jars that are showing leaves were flasked on June 20, 07.

No other jars have ever looked liked the monster flask. So, I still don't know what is happening in that jar.

[newflasker]

The picture is not quite clear but I think it could be callus or protocorm proliferation. It happens to me all the time while I increase the amount of coconut, banana and BA (hormone). Too much sugar, coconut, banana and especially hormone could give you callus/proliferation instead of protocorm. You can replate on a new medium without sugar plus potato they will become seedlings. It also often happens in a liquid or semi-liquid medium.

[Djarum Black]

Excellent information!

I will try replateing them into something without sugar and cross my fingers.
Thank you very much for sharing your experieces with me. I had never seen this result before.

[tuvoc]

Adds a whole new dimension to 'sugar rush'. Great thread folks!

Kim

[Ely]

Maybe it's mold? Nah! Just mutated baby orchids. By the way, has anyone ever exposed seeds or protocorms to microwave radiation?