Chestnut blight
| Chestnut blight fungus | |
|---|---|
| Cankers caused by the fungal infection cause the bark to split. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Sordariomycetes |
| Order: | Diaporthales |
| Family: | Cryphonectriaceae |
| Genus: | Cryphonectria |
| Species: | C. parasitica |
| Binomial name | |
| Cryphonectria parasitica | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The pathogenic fungus Cryphonectria parasitica (formerly Endothia parasitica) is a member of the Ascomycota (sac fungi). This necrotrophic fungus is native to East Asia and South East Asia and was introduced into Europe and North America in the early 1900s. Strains of the fungus spread more or less rapidly and caused significant tree loss in both regions. Strains of the fungus can be more or less virulent.