Question
It is a young plant and a couple of days ago I saw that it had a leaf that was all curled up and black - I cut just the leaf off. then again today there was another one it appears that the leaf has been burned to a charcoal state the steam is green all the way up the the base of the leaf.  Do you have any idea what is going on with this plant?

Appreciate any insight you may have on this  

Answer
Hi Sondra,
   China dolls are very sensitive to just about everything. There are several things that could be causing this problem.
First on the list is lighting. Your china doll could be getting too much direct sunlight. China dolls are medium light plants and can not tolerate much direct sunlight. The ideal place for a china doll is near a curtain filtered east facing window.

Water quality could be a problem. I recommend using distilled water to water plants. A lot of plants, especially china dolls, are sensitive to the fluoride, chlorine and mineral deposits found in most tap water. Water softeners add a lot of salts to the water which can also harm plants. Using distilled water will prevent the problems that can be caused by these chemicals and deposits in the water.

Another possible cause could be a draft. China dolls are very sensitive to cold (and hot) drafts. Check the area the china doll is in for drafts. Possibly from an air conditioner or a central air vent. A ceiling fan could possibly push a cold draft from an air conditioner or central air vent that is not in the area the china doll is in.

Another problem is cigarette smoke. China dolls are especially sensitive to cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke can actually kill a china doll plant quickly.
For example, one time I had several smoking friends and relatives stay at my house for the weekend. The china doll plant I had in the living room was dead within a week. This china doll plant had been perfectly healthy with lots of new growth before that weekend and had been in the living room for over a year. I had known about china dolls being sensitive to cigarette smoke but I did not think that half a dozen people smoking for the weekend would be enough to harm the china doll. It really surprised me how quickly the cigarette smoke killed the china doll plant.  

I hope this helps. If you have any questions or need additional information please don't hesitate to ask.
          Thanks
              Tracy