Stictocardia leaves

i just wondered if these features are normal on S macolusoi...

another shot showing that the features are all over the second true leaf... there aren't any on the first true leaf...

Colin - Looks like those leaves are infected with something that is causing the 'growths'...

they appear to crystals of some sort....

could it be salts.....

Despite a shiny 'crystalline' appearance , it my impression that the growths are mainly a cellular tissue of some sort...likely also common to other plant groups...

i think you might be right Ron... the 'crystals' come off quite easily... and i couldn't help but taste them... (yeah i know) ....they are not salty and do not feel like crystals in the mouth.... (blush)

You're a brave one, Mr. Ceej LOL!

I hope you don't have some funky exotic plant disease, you don't need to have the plant police seizing your entire collection.

I've seen stuff like that growing on things like cherry tree leaves ...I just don't know what it is...

i've searched the net and found references to oedema on sweet potato leaves that looked very similar... due to the uptake of more water by the roots than can be given off by the leaves...

This message was edited Apr 15, 2009 5:20 PM

Colin, this looks very interesting. My maculosoi from last year didn't do this, but it was pretty much in need of water. In the shower window it got routine doses of warm high humidity which kept it looking happy. It never got watered that I know of, and the root system was in a 2 or 3 oz ball of milled moss.

If this were a fungus, it seems to me there would be the appearance of the cycle going on through its progressive stages. If time doesn't present the appearance of damage, this might be the respiration system of the plant at work, perspiring. Get an ant on that plant and see what the ant does with those little chrystals.

Good photos, keep us posted as to the progress of this plant and this very strange phenomena. Frank

thanks Frank... i might just try the Ant :-)



This message was edited Apr 16, 2009 2:27 AM

i posted a pic of the leaf on the ID forum and got this reply, which i think solves it for now...

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=6415926

dang, I was going to send you some ants, they are all over the place down here, little black ones .. even on my monitor.. LOL
That is great photography, colin.. even if the subject is not a fun one.. at least you have leaves.. I have had more than my share of rotting leaves and plants going on down here..

Good photography Colin, you have come a long way from the new camera owner. Frank

Colin - I'd be interested to see the photos of the I.batatas leaves...

Do you have the link (?)


You could also try posting to :

Garden Pests and Diseases Discussion Forum
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/pad/all/
Pests and Diseases - link to the photo on Daves
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/pests/


Someone may have had additional experience with this...


TTY,...


Ron

sorry about that Debra... send me the Ant anyway.... :-)

thanks Frank... the closeups are taken using a USB microscope... unfortunatly the pictures aren't as good as what you get to see through the lens.... but still well cool :-)

Ron... heres some links regarding oedema on Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato) leaves.... i did find something on gardenweb aswell, but can't find it now.....

http://annsplants.com/?p=10
http://www.umass.edu/umext/floriculture/fact_sheets/greenhouse_management/edema.htm
http://plantsarethestrangestpeople.blogspot.com/2009_01_25_archive.html (scroll down)
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/IPM.asp?code=195&group=32&level=c (scroll down)

i'm going to go easy on the watering during overcast and humid days... as thats what seems to be noted as the cause of Oedema(sometimes spelled 'Edema')



This message was edited Apr 16, 2009 1:13 PM

This message was edited Apr 16, 2009 1:16 PM

well, i was looking at my stricto and it is covered with those crystals and black dots on the old leaves, on the stems near the old growth, but the new growth seems to be fine, it is vining around a ficus tree like it owns it..

Sounds like a happy Stictocardia vine to me! :-)

it doesn't seem to hurt the plants at all Debra... mine aren't doing much gowing for me though, maybe you'll get a few blooms?.... i'm hopeing to get a few blooms on them next year :-)

cee,
You tasted it!? EEUW! Reminds me of that old Cheeh and Chong bit about the indians walking across the prairie....Ooops ,I may have just gave away my age..LOL

Glad to hear this isn't anything serious as I just receievd this vine in a trade.

Peggy

here is the underside of one of the leaves the crystals have turned black

blush@ bigred :-))

nice photo Debra.... it shows the strange growths off lovely... the latin name Stico(=spotted)cardia(=heart) refers to the heart shaped leaves so maybe the black dots are the "sticto" bit :-))

but i have noticed the plants only produce them when they have ample water... if kept on the dry side they don't seem to get them as much....

CEEJ......... good to see you again, here abouts. These pictures off Stictocardia, do not name the specie, and some have this characteristic more strongly than other species. Nonetheless, my 2 year old plant in my 1 gallong plant in a south facing window, has the black things on steroids. I grew seeds from S. Africa/ not bid or buy/ S.maculosoi/ and the second year the black stubble appeared on the leaves and especially on the petioles. The places where it has appeared are on now the oldest parts of the plant with very old but healthy leaves, still with the stubble. If I could but muster the energy to get my lazy but up and going, I could send some pix. (I just hate having to start over with all that photo stuff on another computer again and again) The stuff I have seen here looks good and healthy by my reconning. Frank

Yes they are normal. My thinking now is that this genera is a seacoast group, and that they have adapted, by using these organs to capture morning dew, between the rains.
The stictocardia I have grown have had these, and they don't seem to get these growths, unless they experience a big reduction in humidity. Watch the plants, and they will talk to you. I am wondering if anyone with stictos in 80% humidity has the black thick wiskers on the bottom of the leaves??????

I wish we could get the gps location of seed collection along with the seeds...... Frank

My plant that hung out in my basement all winter under its own light and bloomed profusely did not get as much of the growths as the winter it hung out by a drafty window. Seems like constant temps was a big factor for mine. it is now outside, can't wait to see it ramble again, but it didn't bloom last summer, so I am thinking it is a winter bloomer here.

Debra, you didn't mention which species this plant was? Did you get some pictures of the blooms. Frank

Frank I posted the blooms on the threads in december I think.. since then my putor has crashed with all my pics, but the sticto is a breavenis.. I will search my posts from back then to see where the threads are.. here is first post of first bloom.. in November


http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=8217731
and here : http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=8258894

This message was edited May 17, 2011 10:23 PM

This message was edited May 17, 2011 10:28 PM

Debra, thank you. This is a wonderful followup to that part of the Stictocardia saga here. I am pleased that so many of the people had such good luck blooming them inside and under lights. Do you remember who the original source of the seed was?
Frank

my original seeds came from silverhill seeds and books. It is an African outlet. I have no clue where everyone elses seeds came from.
I sure did not get any seed pods even with hand pollination, dang it.

Debra, regarding the seedpods falling off, my theory is it just wasn't warm enough for them. I know that in the nightshade family, low night time temps is responsible for polinated flowers falling off. I don't know for sure. Do we know for a fact that they DO self polinate.? They could need an outside pollinator like I.indica. I have seeds of the
Thai, stictocardia (most likely bereviensis). DMail me your address and I will send you some.

Well this all means that I still don't have pictures here, of the S. "Thai Seeds". I am still looking for pictures of those grow outs. They created a big stir a few years ago, but the people that have had succes, seem to have gotten their seeds somewhere else.
Thanks for the info. Frank