Hi All,

I have an oncidium hybrid that yields lots (several spikes with 7 to 12
per spike) of brown-and-yellow flowers. The blooms give off a coconut
and dark chocolate smell in the mornings. It's a lovely orchid, and one
that I found for $12 at Trader Joe's, so it was a real steal. Anyway,
one thing that is strange are these little spheres of clear, sticky sap
that form at the joints of the branching spikes. Does anyone know what
purpose they serve?

I checked, and the scent does come form the blooms, not the sap. Also,
the plant is healthy (this is the second season I've had it) and
growing quickly, so I don't think it's a health issue. Would the sap
provide additional food for the pollinators? Or being a hybrid, is it
some weird mutant effect that serves no biological purpose? Just
wondering...

-Munir