Kretzschmaria deusta
Encyclopedia
Kretzschmaria deusta, commonly known as brittle cinder, is a fungus
and plant pathogen found in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere
. It is common on a wide range of broadleaved trees including beech
(Fagus), oak
(Quercus), lime (Tilia
), and maple
(Acer). It causes a soft rot
, breaking down both cellulose
and lignin
, and decays the trunk and/or roots of living trees. The fungus continues to decay wood after the host tree has died, making K. deusta a facultative parasite
. The resulting brittle fracture has a ceramic-like fracture surface. Black zone lines
can be seen in cross-sections of wood infected with K. deusta.
New fruiting bodies are formed in the spring and are flat and gray with white edges. The fruiting bodies persist all year and their appearance changes to resemble asphalt, consisting of black, domed, lumpy crusts. The mature fruiting bodies are brittle like charcoal and are usually found between the root buttresses.
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
and plant pathogen found in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
. It is common on a wide range of broadleaved trees including beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
(Fagus), oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
(Quercus), lime (Tilia
Tilia
Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The greatest species diversity is found in Asia, and the genus also occurs in Europe and eastern North America, but not western North America...
), and maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
(Acer). It causes a soft rot
Wood-decay fungus
A wood-decay fungus is a variety of fungus that digests moist wood, causing it to rot. Some wood-decay fungi attack dead wood, such as brown rot, and some, such as Armillaria , are parasitic and colonize living trees. Fungi that not only grow on wood but actually cause it to decay, are called...
, breaking down both cellulose
Cellulose
Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β linked D-glucose units....
and lignin
Lignin
Lignin or lignen is a complex chemical compound most commonly derived from wood, and an integral part of the secondary cell walls of plants and some algae. The term was introduced in 1819 by de Candolle and is derived from the Latin word lignum, meaning wood...
, and decays the trunk and/or roots of living trees. The fungus continues to decay wood after the host tree has died, making K. deusta a facultative parasite
Parasitic life cycles
Parasite life cycles can take a variety of forms, all involving the exploitation of one or more hosts. Those that must infect more than one host species to complete their life cycles are said to have complex or indirect life cycles, while those that infect a single species have direct life...
. The resulting brittle fracture has a ceramic-like fracture surface. Black zone lines
Spalting
Spalting is any form of wood coloration caused by fungi. Although primarily found in dead trees, spalting can also occur under stressed tree conditions or even in living trees...
can be seen in cross-sections of wood infected with K. deusta.
New fruiting bodies are formed in the spring and are flat and gray with white edges. The fruiting bodies persist all year and their appearance changes to resemble asphalt, consisting of black, domed, lumpy crusts. The mature fruiting bodies are brittle like charcoal and are usually found between the root buttresses.