''Phytophthora multivora'' is a species of

Oomycete Oomycota forms a distinct phylogenetic lineage of fungus-like eukaryotic microorganisms, called oomycetes (). They are filamentous and heterotrophic, and can reproduce both sexually and asexually. Sexual reproduction of an oospore is the resul ...

, water moulds, identified as a plant pathogen implicated in

dieback Dieback may refer to a number of plant problems and diseases including: * Forest dieback caused by acid rain, heavy metal pollution, or imported pathogens * The death of regions of a plant or similar organism caused by physical damage, such as from ...

. It was first isolated in tuart forest of

Southwest Australia Southwest Australia is a biogeographic region in Western Australia. It includes the Mediterranean-climate area of southwestern Australia, which is home to a diverse and distinctive flora and fauna. The region is also known as the Southwest Aus ...

in a study of the decline of tuart ''

Eucalyptus gomphocephala ''Eucalyptus gomphocephala'', known as tuart, is a species of tree, one of the six forest giants of Southwest Australia. Tuart forest was common on the Swan coastal plain, until the valuable trees were felled for export and displaced by the urb ...

'', jarrah ''

Eucalyptus marginata ''Eucalyptus marginata'', commonly known as jarrah, djarraly in Noongar language and historically as Swan River mahogany, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tree with rough ...

'', peppermint ''

Agonis ''Agonis'' is a genus in the plant family Myrtaceae. All are endemic (ecology), endemic to Western Australia, growing near the coast in the Southwest Australia, south west. Description Only one, ''Agonis flexuosa'', grows to tree size; the o ...

'' and

banksia ''Banksia'' is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes, and fruiting "cones" and heads. ''Banksias'' range i ...

species. The species was found to occur in dead and dying woody species, ''Eucalyptus gomphocephala'', ''E. marginata'', ''

Agonis flexuosa ''Agonis flexuosa'' is a species of tree that grows in the south west of Western Australia. It is easily the most common of the ''Agonis'' species, and is one of the most recognisable trees of Western Australia, being commonly grown in parks an ...

'', banksias '' B. menziesii'' and '' B. grandis'' and at the fine roots of ''E. marginata'' and ''

Banksia littoralis ''Banksia littoralis'', commonly known as the swamp banksia, swamp oak, river banksia or seaside banksia and the western swamp banksia, is a species of tree that is Endemism, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The Noongar peoples ...

''. The study area included samples at Yalgorup, Jarrahdale,

Wanneroo Wanneroo is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Wanneroo. Geography As it is on the Swan Coastal Plain, the Wanneroo wetlands stretch parallel to the coastline and to the north and south of the suburb. Education W ...

, Walpole and Pemberton in Western Australia. The epithet of the species is in reference to the wide range of flora it infects.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3382067 Water mould plant pathogens and diseases Tree diseases multivora