Kukiat's Notes on Tropical Flowering Trees

Siam White is  a  natural hybrid between Cassia fistula  and Cassia bakeriana Origin: Thailand Scientific name (Hybrid):   Cassia fistula  x Cassia bakeriana Common names:        Siam White (English) named by the author     คูนขาวไทย ( Koon Khao)     วชิรพฤกษ์ (Vajirapruk) named by  Surawit Wannakrairoj (former Department Head, Horticulture Department, Kasetsart University) Original Tree Location: route # 3302, Tumbon Than Kasem, Phra Phutthabat district, Saraburi province  in central Thailand Link to google map:    https://www.google.com/maps/@14.7854817,100.802129,3a,90y,289.68h,111.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBa3i_ySnZYL31t20f7-VZg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 Cassia 'Siam White' Origin and its History In the year 2002, I visited this tree located on a local road in Saraburi, Thailand.  At the time, the tree was probably 10-15 years old with the height of about 10 meters.  I t was intended to plant as a street tree since it was in the same row of other Cassia fistula of about the same

Narcissus mosaic virus  - A new plumeria virus? Figure 1. Thornton's Lemon Drop plumeria suspected viral symptom caused by Narcissus mosaic virus Colour break in reverse bicolour Daffodils Narcissus mosaic virus (NMV) , a specie in the family Potyviridae,  is one of the serious viruses for narcissus (daffodils and jonquils). NMV has an extensive range of host plants among narcissus species and beyond the family of Amaryllidaceae such as some species in Amaranthaceae and Aizoaceae.   Narcissus  is readily infected with NMV by mechanical inoculation.  NMV  can be  transmitted by aphids.  V isible viral symptoms of NMV include severe yellowing mosaic, leaf distortion and chlorosis, and flower colour breaking (Fig. 2). Figure 2. Colour break in reverse bicolour Daffodil caused by Narcissus mosaic virus (Image credit to Marcello Pasini) Figure 3. Natural coloration of Daffodil (Image credit to Eden Brothers) Narcissus yellow stripe virus (NYSV) is a more common virus for narcissus.   Bo