I've never heard of virus on Konjac (or any other Amorph.) so I'd think mineral definiency, or perhaps even over watering (poor drainage).

It could be either. I'm in SE CT, and the rain has been pretty heavy, so keeping things from getting waterlogged is the challenge (as opposed to the west coast). I'm trying to start some opuntia, and the soil is going to be almost all sharp sand and scoria/'growstone' in a raised bed.

I hope you're right about amorphs not being susceptible to virus! I started adding ironite and a drop of superthrive to any water I apply. We'll see.

Thanks,

Rick in CT

Looks like water damage to me :)

Update?

Inconclusive so far. I've made sure that they don't stay too wet, and the medium is 'relatively dry' before they get watered.

Some plants will lose their chlorotic coloring and regain their normal leaf pigment if the condition is mineral-related; some won't. My blueberry bushes yellowed a few years ago, and changed back very quickly after the Ironite treatment. The amorph leaves have a normal texture and no streaking, so that's a little encouraging. I'll update this again in a few weeks.

Rick in CT

Does anyone else use a little bit of black strap molasses to occasionally water their plants?

Edit: have they put on any new growth or anything? Leaves look any different? (I think you answered the second question already?) Lol

It's been a few weeks. Any improvement?

There is indeed a mosaic virus that affects amorphs, several actually!

I can't say for sure, but I'd be very suspicious... Well I would just toss it if it were me...

It seems like these "gold flecks ' are just just normal for this plant. There isn't any stunting or abnormal growth otherwise, so maybe it's just one more sport.

Why is it that konjac in particular develops so many genetic variations?

--Rick

Because plants have incredibly diverse genetic information.

I would imagine propagating from vines so readily also means that cells have the ability to change pretty quickly (mutate).

i know this isn't specifically a vine, I guess I meant things that can take root from herbaceous cuttings....you ca do that with this species, right? I really know nothing about it....did you hear that, excuse for diatribe here:

The diversity is contained within the seeds!

Asuxual propagation rarely leads to new sports, although in tissue culture mutations are common, especially in aroids.

Seeds are truly the source of genetic diversity, its no different than why I look different that you!

Most sports come from cuttings, at least from my understanding. Epipremnum, Philodendron, Dracaena deremensis, Monstera......

So, in the case of konjac 'shattered glass ', the many pups will show diverse phenotype variations, although bc these are pups, they should be genetically identical. This seems unlikely, unless some other factor such as environment is at work. The pups often are grown for a season so that their propensity to variegation can be observed. I'm new to growing these, so I can't offer personal experience with the pups. The conventional wisdom however maintains that the solid green pups will never develop variegation, and vice versa.

Thanks for the thoughtful explanation. I really do understand the logic, but something else seems to be going on with k/sg. Regarding the term 'bud sport': if the only difference is morphologic, and it's not truly a genetic mutation, wouldn't all of those pups eventually revert to the parent's morphology?

My head hurts....

;-)

--Rick

You should look at the Syngoniums.

They sport off like crazy but if you allow the plant to climb (and thus mature), they revert to the wild type.

there's a whole page on variation w/in species at the exotic ra in forest site!

Color variegation is a whole other story... If you want a head hurtin, read up on variagated rhapis ferns!

aeae banana is another example, as is colocasia yellow splash...

If a plant is morphologically different, then it will most likely be genetically different, the genes dictate what the plant looks like or how it grows etc.

Theres also any number of plants that display differences in leaf shape, size, color, stem and root growth shape and pattern etc, at different stages of maturity, that doesn't mean that genetically these plants change, the genes are the same, but are giving the plant orders to grow differently, the late Steve Lucas repeats on his site that genetic testing is sorely needed to fully understand and properly ID many of these plants. I doubt his suggestion prompted much of it, but several species of philodendron and syngonium have been reclassified, some of these were known as separate species, when in fact they were simply at different levels or maturity, and look entirely different from one another!

if you look close at greenhouses or big box stores, often the syngonium a they're selling look very full, these are rooted cuttings from a mature plant, that showed little or no interesting color in that stage, so they cut them to the ground, and the laterals that push out will be immature growth, with wonderful vibrant color.

back to the original question... My knightstick has very dark foliage, darker than any of the other konjac clones I have, the one pictured is very light, almost yellow looking to me... And very thin, for knightstick. The leaflets on mine are nearly round, with almost no point at the tip... I'm not sure what that says about yours, but it looks very different from mine!

Would you post pictures of your knightsticks?

Unrelated to the thread/question: my konjacs are generally growing in plastic pots, which I though were more than generous in size, but started looking distended. Slipping the root ball out of the pot, it's chock full o'stolons. It's too late in the season to repot these. Should I just let these spend winter dormancy in the pot, and divide the stolons in March?

Thanks--Rr