Plant Pathology
This is a compilation of some common Northeast U.S. fungi and decays.
False Turkey Tail
Scientific Name: Sterium ostrea
Common Name: False Turkey Tail
Photographed: June 2007, West Virginia, mid-slope of deciduous hardwood forest on a mossy, fallen log.
Occurs on wood substrate in clusters on decaying logs, stumps, and branches. It is one of the most colorful Sterium species. It is identifiable by the absence of spores underneath.
Inedible.
Turkey Tail fungus
Scientific name: Trametes versicolor
Common name: Turkey Tail fungus
Photographed: April 2008, State College, Pennsylvania on a fallen trunk of a hardwood. Found amongst white oak/cherry/maple trees.
Turkey tail fungus is very similar to the False Turkey tail above, but for 2 major differences. The first and best method of identification is the presence of pores on the underside of Turkey tail. The other is Turkey tail usually has hairy, velvety zones on the upper side. It is mainly saprophitic, but can be a weak parasite. The fungus grows from May to December on deciduous wood, very rarely on conifers. It is one of the most common Northeast forest pathogens and causes white wood rot.
Inedible.
Chanterelle
Scientific name: Hygrocybe cantharellus
Common name: Chanterelle
Photographed: June 2007, West Virginia, within a decaying, hollow stump amidst a Rhododendron thicket.
Occurs on wood substrate, singly or in small clusters, on the ground or on well decayed logs and stumps. It is one of the few hygrophori that grow on decaying wood.
Edible
Shellfish-scented Russula
Scientific name: Russula xerampelina
Common name: Shellfish-scented Russula
Photographed: June 2007, West Virginia, at the base of an Eastern hemlock stem, amidst white oak and mountain laurel.
Has a mycorrhizal association with conifers and extends as far south as Costa Rica. Has a fishy, shrimp-like smell.
Edible, but easily confused with several other Russula species.
Orange mycena
Scientific name: Mycena leaiana
Common name: orange mycena
Photographed: June 2007, West Virginia, amidst a stand consisting of deciduous trees, rhododendron, and Eastern hemlock.
Typically found in clusters on deciduous wood. Considered fairly common and regular in appearance. Cap is sticky and will stain skin.
Pinwheel Marasmius
Scientific name: Marasmius rotula
Common name: Pinwheel marasmius
Photographed: August 2007, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, growing out of decaying wood amidst a lakeside stand of hardwoods and hemlock.
Found on dead deciduous wood, moss covered logs, and stem. It has been known to dry out, only to revive after a rain.
Pig's Ear
Scientific name: Gomphus clavatus
Common name: Pig's Ear
Photographed: June 2007, West Virginia, in a hemlock/beech stand.
Found in Europe, Asia, and North America. Populations are declining in Europe and it is becoming rare. Acidification and eutrophication are two main causes of its decline.
Inedible
Bear's Head Tooth
Scientific name: Hericium americanum
Common name: Bear's Head Tooth
Photographed: August 2007, Wayne County, Pennsylvania amidst a hemlock/beech/maple forest in a very moist lake side riparian zone. Found on a decaying log.
Saprobic, possibly parasitic, found on dead or living decidous hardwood. Rarely found on conifers. All of the spines from a cluster originate from a common point.
Edible when young
Phyllosticta leaf spot
Scientific name: Phyllosticta kalmicola
Common name: Phyllosticata leaf spot
Photographed: January 2007, Bear Creek, Pennsylvania in a stream-side hemlock/birch/mountain laurel stand. Shown is an affected mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) leaf.
Phyllosticta leaf spots are generally do not cause serious damage to plants. This is more of a problem in nurseries and on urban plants where aesthetics are important. Removal and composting of leaves is a good method of control besides spraying. Phyllosticta leaf spots are most known to be found on maple, black cherry, rhododendron, spice bush, and mountain laurel, among other woody species. The circular spots are dead areas of the leaves and are considered self limiting; that is they stop increasing in size at some point.
Phomopsis gall
Perennial target canker.
Photographed: January 2007, Bear Creek, Pennsylvania. Found on sweet birch (Betula lenta) in a hemlock/birch/mountain laurel stream-side stand.
Sign: Mycelial fan
Symptom: Canker/gall on tree, leaf die-back.
Control: Removal of host tree.
Violet-edged Polypore
Scientific name: Trichaptum biforme
Common name: Violet-edged polypore
Photographed: August 2007, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, on a standing dead maple snag amidst a hemlock/beech/maple stand.
A saphrofitic fungi found on dead deciduous wood year round. It's name biforme implies that the under-surface can have two forms, poroid or toothlike. The fruiting body at first has 2-5 pores per mm, which eventually form tooths as it ages. Its upper surface can be white to gray to brown in color, often with a violet margin around the edge. The under surface is violet, then fades to a brownish color over time.
Birch polypore
Scientific name: Piptoporus betulinus
Common name: Birch polypore
Photographed: January 2008, Bear Creek, Pennsylvania, on a fallen birch branch. Habitat area was a stream side mix of hemlock/birch/mountain laurel.
The birch polypore is parasitic and saprophitic, growing on living or dead birch trees. It is an annual conk and has pores on the under side. One claim to fame is that the birch polypore was among the possessions of a 5000 year old preserved "Ice Man" for medicinal purposes.
Edible when young and tender.
White Rot
Photographed: April 2008, State College, Pennsylvania. White wood rot piece found pulled off a stump amidst white oak/red maple trees.
White rot is found mainly on hardwoods in Pennsylvania. The fungus consumes the dark lignin of the wood, leaving the white cellulose. It has a strength loss proportional to the amount of rot.
Heart rot
Photographed: April 2008, State College, Pennsylvania. Very advanced heart rot shown in a left over stump of white oak.
Heart rot is a symptom of a fungi that enters living trees through fresh wounds caused by pruning, lumbering damage, fire, storms, insects, etc. Since heart rot of living trees cannot be seen, a conk or fruiting body is usually a sign of decay.
Control: Properly prune so as to reduce amount of open wood. Remove tree if structural integrity is in question.
Brown cubical rot
Photographed: April 2008, State College, Pennsylvania. Photo is a piece of wood with brown cubical rot. Found in a white oak/cherry/maple stand.
Brown cubical rot is caused by the fungus Polyporus schweinitzii. It is common in many trees suffering from damage due to fire, logging, soil compaction, or any type of root injury. The fungus produces annual conks in late summer/fall. The rot is most active during the moist months of late summer/fall.
Control: The best method for control is to avoid damaging trees and creating open wounds. In an urban setting, if brown cubical rot is thought to occupy the roots or base of a tree, the tree should be removed.
Black Cherry gall
Scientific name: Apiosporina morbosa
Common name: Black cherry gall
Photographed: April 2008, State College, Pennsylvania on the top branches of a 65+ foot tall black cherry. Forest area consisting of white oak/mixed cherry species.
Both a sign and symptom.
The fungus is parasitic and forms black galls on branches and twigs of cherry trees. They persist and can be seen year round on branches. Perithecia are present just below the surface of the gall. This can be a very destructive pathogen. It is found on almost all wild cherry species to some extent. It is also an important pathogen to be aware of for plum crop trees.
