albuca viruses?

[orpheos]

i notice these strange signs on the petals of this plant... when I bought it two weeks ago they aren't visible..
may be a virus?? the leaves don't show any mark..

[Ezeiza]

Have you looked at the leaves tips?

Are these those bulbs plundered from the wild for sale that were mentioned in some postings?

[orpheos]

hi Alberto
i've notice only the signs on the leaves shown in the photos below.. I don't know if these marks are sun damages..
no, this one is a cultivar called 'frizzle sizzle' that probably came from netherland... i've bought from a garden center...

[Lesley Cox]

Fantastic leaves but maybe the brown patches and the streaky flowers tell the true story.

[Ezeiza]

It is the true Albuca spiralis. See the base clasping foliage?

[orpheos]

hi Alberto
yes I think also it's an spiralis, i suppose it's only a selected clone;)
sorry i don't understand what you mean...what should i see at the base?

[Ezeiza]

In true spiralis the leaves neatly clasp the base of the foliage. In other species with similar species the arrangement of the leaves look "untidy".

Matteo, of course you know that any newly introduced plant must be grown for a period in a spot away from the main collection. This gives very good results as when the plants are subject to the stress of a drastic change of environment any latent disease (like virosis) rapidly becomes apparent.

[orpheos]

yes i know, i keep away every new one;) so do you think it is really a virus?

[Ezeiza]

On the flowers, yes. On the leaves it looks like mildew, another shocking demonstration of how virus symptoms can mask themselves.

When discarding it, make sure to burn pot, mix and plant.

[orpheos]

i notice that the signs on the flower have increased dimension(now almost all the surface of the petal has changed color) and looks like that the petal has taken frost.. it's also this a signs of viruses??

[Ezeiza]

Desert plants are often pruinose (covered by a natural wax that avoids  evaporation) like a grey/silver/white patina covering the natural color. This wax can be easily removed by finger touch. Something similar appears on grapes and berries. This is natural and no indication of disease at all.

What is of concern in your Albuca is the broken color of the tepals. This is always indication of virus infection. It is called "mosaic" pattern. Variegation of many plants are produced by virus infection and it is amazing to see people keeping them. Natural variegation (not caused  by disease) does not look broken. You can see examples of virused Clivias and Rohdea in the web that are caused by viruses and these viruses are contagious to other plants. This is basically the problem with them. If the problem would stay in the plant, there would be no reason for concern.

[orpheos]

probably you don't understand what i meen.. i attach a photo;)  i've already saw color breaking in cattleya percivalliana for example but i don't know that  in bulbs these breaking are semitransparent in backlight and with time, they enlarged.. the photo is from the flower posted before, now is closed but this morning not..
i try to make seeds so i have to keep this plant for a while in a far away place...