Natural History Wanderings

Gary Regner Photography had the following post on a virus that is attacking Texas Bluebonnets

College Station, TX – Researchers at Texas A&M University have isolated a virus that attacks the state’s wildflower, the bluebonnet. This newly discovered virus has been classified as a lupine mosaic virus (LMV 41C) and is closely related to the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Although the vector for transmission has yet to be verified, due to the rapid spread of the infection, scientists suspect multiple vectors including insects such as an aphids or leafhoppers and soil-borne nematodes. The insects acquire and transmit the virus by feeding on infected plants. Once plants are infected, nematodes acquire the infection by feeding on infected roots. Nematodes then rapidly spread the infection to neighboring plants through the soil.

Bluebonnet plants seem to be more susceptible to infection during dry periods, and the ongoing drought is contributing to the rapid spread of the virus across the state. Infected plants don’t seem to be affected adversely except for one notable side-effect: the flowers turn from blue to pink. Once a stand of bluebonnets is infected, it can take only a few days for all the flowers to turn pink. Scientists are unsure what effect this will have on seed production, and whether or not the pink coloration will be passed on to later generations.

Or April Fool’s Discovery?