Photo 1. The yellow spots of the Heliconia rust fungus, Puccinia heliconiae, on and between the veins, often on one side of the leaf before the other.

Photo 2. Irregular, reddish-brown spots of the Heliconia rust, Puccinia heliconiae, on the underside of the leaf discharging spores. If rubbed with a finger, the spores in the spots create a rust-like stain, hence the common name.

Photo 3. Brown spots of the Heliconia rust, Puccinia heliconiae, appear on the upper leaf surface corresponding to those on the underside which are discharging spores. Soon after the margins of the leaves start to decay.

Photo 4. The lower surface of the leaf in Photo 3 showing that the spots of the Heliconia rust, Puccinia heliconiae, have turned brown on the left side and the margins are beginning to decay. On the right there are reddish-brown spots near the mid-rib and older brown spots nearer the margin.

Photo 5. Severely infected leaf with large patches of decay within the blade of the leaf and at the margins, caused by the Heliconia rust, Puccinia heliconiae.

Photo 6. All the leaves in this group are infected by the Heliconia rust, Puccinia heliconiae, and show various stages of the disease.

Photo 7. Rolls of Heliconia leaves at the market in Espirito Santo, Vanuatu, with symptoms of the Heliconia rust, Puccinia heliconiae. The leaves are used to wrap grated starchy foods mixed with coconut milk, called laplap.