[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I had it happen once to an Anacheilium (Encyclia) cocheata, a plant with a very similar bulb. It produced what might be called a keiki at the top of the bulb. I believe it did so because all of the eyes at the base were dead. BUT, that particular plant had a few roots on the bottom of the bulb to support the keiki above. I'm thinking that if this were a very special plant and I wanted to give it the best chance at survival, I would sphag and bag it, or bury the bulb up to the leaves. I'm guessing, from the number of times I have lost plants to dead eyes and only one that did this, your chances are about one in a hundred. Maybe you can improve your odds by putting some rooting hormone on the top of the bulb.