Virus or not?

[jocierk]

Could you guys give me an opinion on these? I got some orchids from two different sellers on ebay and they look really great except for some spots of these two. The first two pics are of a Epc.Rene Marques 'Tyler'




The third pic is a Doritis Champorensis


The Doritis is the one that most looks like it could be a virus to me, the Rene seems like it could just be damage. The Doritis was also a bonus "thank you for your order" plant so at least there is that.

Thanks guys!

[Brooke]

To me it looks like high light pigment, nothing serious.

I've seen in situ pictures of the Phal. (Doritis) champorensis growing in full sun in a shallow stream. I give mine medium light and it is a blooming fool.

Brooke

[tucker85]

No, I don't think it's a virus. I would say either leaf spotting fungus or some kind of bacterial spots.

[euplusia]

The Doritis looks fine, nothing to worry about.
The leaves of the Epicattleya look unhealthy. This might be a deficiency symptom or fungus infection or cold damage or virus, I really cannot tell.

[lepetitmartien]

For the Epicattleya, difficult to tell, could be fungus or bacterial. I'd go for some Bordeaux mixture and see from this point where does it go. Watch out closely if the necrotic spots grow and how fast. No scent (bad or mushroom) to help ?

The Phalaenopsis for me is just a happy camper. Some species have those tiny dark dots and its perfectly normal.

[NYCorchidman]

The first plant has definitely gone wrong. Virus or fungal is what comes to my mind.
Personally, unless they are valuable, I would not have it around my other healthy plants.

The last one is fine. The specks are normal part of that plant and the little scratch looks like a mechanical damage.

[jocierk]

Update: You guys were right, the Doritis is a very happy little plant. GREAT roots and has a few new leaves since that first post.

Out of fear for my other plants I stuck the epicatt outside and have been dousing it with Bonide Copper Fungicide. I have sprayed it 5 or 6 times. My question is how do I know if it is "cured"? The brown damage spots haven't gotten any bigger, and it has grown quite a bit. The leaves have turned pretty red but I think that is just from the large amount of light it is getting in my back yard. I will post a few pics once I get home tonight. I don't really know what to look for and I am just wondering if its safe to bring it back in with my other orchids?

[jocierk]

Here are some new pics of the epicatt. Its been in my backyard for quite a while now and I know its getting a lot more sun than its used to. It has been growing like crazy though so I don't think its really hurting it much. Boy those leaves are red though.







Any opinions on if its safe to move it back with the other orchids?

Thanks!

[NYCorchidman]

The darkened leaves do look like it's stressed with sudden strong light.

While I'm not sure if it is fungal, but let's just say it is fungal. Then you know the infection is under control when you don't see the spots or marks get bigger or increase in numbers.
Also, when new leaves come out clean and stay that way for a few weeks, then it is a great sign.

With spray, you want to follow the label, and usually you want to spray a few times.

With virus, things are tricky.
Signs can come and go, and the only way to tell for sure is to get it tested.

[lepetitmartien]

On viruses, I've given a lecture the other day at an orchid association in France on diseases. 2 plants were brought up for diagnose and virus testing:
- A phal was clearly positive to CyMV, maybe ORSV infected too (tiny strip on test), signs were a really bad old leave. => trash
- An Acineta superba, leaves awful, looking a lot like a mosaic virus, tested twice (first test wasn't conclusive, no control stripe) and it wasn't CyMV or ORSV. It's separated from other plants, treated for fungus in case it is, and we'll see. It may be a fungus, it can be another virus not tested by the minute tests.

You can't judge viruses on leaf patterns/necrosis, save for the concentric circles of ORSV (don't mix with Cercospora fungus), or repeated color breaks. Now you can have doubts on multiple factors (bad growth-stalled growth, old leaves turned awful though not the "I'm old and getting discarded" way, regular infection of whatever… But then, you should test to be sure. A virus can be here and the plant showing no signs at all.

Now back on the epicatt: tough it receives certainly too much light, it looks also healthier. I'd make a guess it enjoys more light and the infection whatever it is was opportunistic because the epicatt wasn't a happy camper. I'd get it inside with an eye on it, maybe still separated if possible, but with more light than it had before. I have issues on plants just because they receive not enough light, and it's my fault, not the fungus/bacteria at work, or a virus.