Amaryllis problem

I was late bringing my amaryllis bulbs out this year. Procrastination, out-of-sight/out-of-mind, and laziness were the main reasons. Laziness in that I figured the later I brought them out, the less time I'd have to be watering them in the house before setting them outside for the summer. So they're just now beginning to bloom. 

This is what they're supposed to look like:

(March 2, 2010 - Courtney, age 3)

However this one, my oldest one that I've had for 33 years (!), has a definite problem this year, which it's never had before. The flower stalk is not only very short, but it's quite deformed.

It as this rust-colored stuff on the stalk, and the stalk has not only split open lengthwise, it has also split the other way, too. See where it looks like there's a big chunk out of it? It just split apart right there.

Something kept it from growing properly. I've only done a quick search for "amaryllis rust" which told me that it could be a fungus or mites. I need to investigate further.

Whatever the problem is, it didn't stop it from blooming!

It was a little hard to find a place to set it for picture-taking.

You can see there's a new flower stalk coming by the leaves. I wonder if that'll be affected, too.

One of my other bulbs is affected, too, but not as badly. It'll be blooming soon. My third one looks like it won't be blooming at all. It might be because it has a "baby" bulb attached to it. It's been there a couple of years or more, so maybe that means it's time to divide them. I've read that you're supposed to leave the new bulbs attached for 4 years before separating them.

They've had little rusty spots on them for many years, but there has never been any noticeable damage until this year. I wonder if it was because I brought them out so late (I doubt it), or if it had something to do with the weather last summer, or what. If anybody has any great information for me, please share!

Update: For anyone googling about this problem, I thought I'd let you know that I did nothing to treat it, and I am happy to report that the following year there was absolutely no sign of any of the rust problem or splitting on any of my plants. See this post.