''Splanchnonema platani'' is a fungus in the genus ''

Splanchnonema ''Splanchnonema'' is a genus of fungi in the family Pleomassariaceae. The genus was circumscribed in 1829 by August Carl Joseph Corda. One of the species, '' Splanchnonema lichenisatum'', is a lichen A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism ...

''. It was formerly known under the name ''Massaria platani''. The

anamorph In mycology, the terms teleomorph, anamorph, and holomorph apply to portions of the life cycles of fungi in the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota: *Teleomorph: the sexual reproductive stage (morph), typically a fruiting body. *Anamorph: an ase ...

of the fungus is known as ''Macrodiplodiopsis desmazieresii''. The fungus has caused serious damage to

plane trees ''Platanus'' is a genus consisting of a small number of tree species native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae. All mature members of ''Platanus'' are tall, reaching in height. All except f ...

across Europe.

Massaria disease

The disease, commonly known as Massaria disease, infects branches of plane trees. The fungus has usually been considered to be a weak parasite causing only minor damage such as twig dieback in warmer Mediterranean climates. However, in the 21st century it has been found associated with branch death and rapid decay within other parts of Europe, most notably Germany and Austria, the Netherlands, and parts of France. Damage caused by this fungus has been reported in the southern United States. The first formal identification of the disease in the United Kingdom came in March 2011. The disease seems to be specific to the

London plane London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major se ...

, the

Oriental plane ''Platanus orientalis'', the Old World sycamore or Oriental plane, is a large, deciduous tree of the Platanaceae family, growing to or more, and known for its longevity and spreading crown. In autumn its deep green leaves may change to blood red ...

and the Occidental plane. The disease causes large lesions on the upper sides of branches associated with branch drop.

References

External links

Massaria disease
Forestry Commission

Treetree Fungal tree pathogens and diseases Pleosporales {{Pleosporales-stub