Well, I think you do have cause for concern. But before actually panicking
G:

1. Gently check to see if the plant is "firm" in the pot. If so, you're
probably OK. If it's loose and wobbly, then your root system isn't doing
well and may not be able to support this attempt at flowering.

2. While you're at it, take a close look at the sphag -- how decayed is it?
It's hard to get good sphag here in Fla. unless you can buy a full container
load ... Has it perhaps dried to the point of becoming water-repellent? If
so, it will take a good long soak [20-30 minutes] to re-wet all the way
through. Actually, the soak might be a good idea anyway, since you say your
old pbs are shrivelled.
--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids
http://www.jborchids.com

"unknown" wrote in message
...
so i've got this little hwra lava burst, and it has two pbulbs it was
blooming from when i got it in march (both now appropriately shrivelled
in my dry environment--i bought the plant in florida). it started a new
growth which doesn't actually have a bulb yet, just the leafy part--and
the silly plant is starting two flowers spikes from this growth. is
this normal for this type of plant? the only other onc-like plants i
have wait until they get fat pbulbs before they bloom. is the hwra
doing one of these "i'm-going-to-bloom-and-then-fall-over-dead"
routines? oh, plant is in sphag in a plastic pot in an eastern
windowsill in maryland zone 6b. TIA...

--j_a