Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2000 17:28:23 EDT From: CALIFCARN@aol.com To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1939$foo@default> Subject: Re: Strange disease
Hey folks, Peter here at California Carnivores.
Here at our nursery we have gotten several phone calls from people in the
southeastern United States describing a weird problem with Sarracenia they
grow outdoors. All claim that the lower stem of the pitcher, where it joins
the rhizome, or the ala near the bottom of the pitcher tube, begins to turn
red or brown and rots, causing the pitcher to collapse and wither. Only one
phone caller noticed webbing inside of the pitcher, which may or may not be
of the grass-cutting wasp Isodontia. This latter pest usually results in the
upper part of the pitcher toppling, due to the nest prepared inside of the
pitcher, so I do not think this pest is responsible. Also, no one reports to
see the reddish debris chimney coming up from the rhizome as would be the
case for Sarracenia root borer. All these growers report the same symptom:
rotting of the pitcher's lower stem, causing the pitcher to fall over and
die. One claimed the "disease" seems to spread into the rhizome. We have
gotten about eight phone calls in the past two weeks describing the exact
same phenomenon, from states like Texas and Georgia and Florida. Anyone have
any clues?
Joe Harden asked me (before the conference) to describe the unusual
fungus that has bothered our Sarracenia. If you can imagine a pitcher made of
paper, and someone holding a lit cigarette or lighter to various parts of the
leaf and what it would look like (browned and burned), that is the best
description I can give. The Domaine seems to be controlling it but I'm having
to apply it every 10 to 14 days. I still suspect it is some form of
anthracnose, and as I explained previously, it seems to have started in
sycamore trees out front of our greenhouse.
Th-th-th-th-th-that's all folks! Peter
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