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Diseases of Foliage Plants
(House Plants)

A. R. Chase, primary collator (last update 3/26/93)

ACANTHACEAE (Aphelandra squarrosa Nees, A [zebra plant] and Fittonia verschaffeltii (Lem.) Coem., F [nerve plant])

BACTERIAL DISEASE

Bacterial leaf spot

Xanthomonas campestris (Pammel) Dowson

FUNGAL DISEASES

Corynespora leaf spot

Corynespora cassiicola (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) C.T. Wei : A

Gray mold

Botrytis cinerea Pers. : Fr. : A

(teleomorph: Botryotinia fuckeliana (de Bary) Whetzel)

Myrothecium leaf spot

Myrothecium roridum Tode : Fr. : A

Phytophthora stem rot

Phytophthora nicotianae Breda de Haan var. parasitica
    (Dastur) G.M. Waterhouse : A

= P. parasitica Dastur

Rhizoctonia stem rot

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn : A,F

(teleomorph: Thanatephorus cucumeris (A.B. Frank) Donk)

Southern blight : Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. : A,F

(teleomorph: Athelia rolfsii (Curzi) Tu & Kimbrough)

Stem gall

Nectriella pironii Alfieri & Samuel : A

(anamorph: Kutilakesa pironii Alfieri)

VIRUS DISEASES

Mosaic

Cucumber mosaic virus : A

Mottle

Bidens mottle virus : F

Spotted wilt

Tomato spotted wilt : A

AGAVACEAE (Cordyline sp., C [Ti plant]; Dracaena spp., D; D. sanderana Hort. Sander ex M.T. Mast., Ds [Belgian Evergreen]; Sansevieria spp., S [mother-in-law-tongue]; Yucca spp., Y [soft tip yucca, Spanish-Bayonet] )

BACTERIAL DISEASES

Bacterial leaf spot

Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (Jones) Bergey et al. : D,Ds

E. chrysanthemi Burkholder et al. : D,Ds

E. herbicola (Lohnis) Dye : Ds

Pseudomonas sp. : Ds

Erwinia blight

Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (Jones) Bergey et al. : C,D,S

E. chrysanthemi Burkholder et al. : C,D,S

FUNGAL DISEASES

Anthracnose

glomerella cingulata (Stoneman) Spauld, & Schrenk : C,D

(anamorph: Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. in Penz)

Brown leaf spot

Paraphaeosphaeria obtusispora (Speg.) Hedjaroude : Y

= Leptosphaeria obtusispora Speg

(anamorph: Coniothyrium henriquesii Thuem.)

Cercospora leaf spot

Cercospora sp. : C

Fusarium leaf spot

Fusarium moniliforme J. Sheldon : D

(teleomorph: Gibberella fujikuroi (Sawada) Ito in Ito & Kimura)

Gray leaf spot

Cytosporina sp. : Y

Gray mold

Botrytis cinerea Pers.: Fr. : D,Ds,Sa

Phyllosticta leaf spot

Phyllosticta spp. : C,Ds

P. draconis Berk

Phytophthora stem rot

Phytophthora nicotiana Breda de Haan var. parasitica
    (Dastur) G.M. Waterhouse : C,D

= P. parasitica Dastur

Red leaf spot

Fusarium moniliforme J. Sheldon : S

Southern blight

Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. : all

Stem rot

Aspergillus niger Tiegh. : Ds,S

NEMATODES, PARASITIC

Lesion : Pratylenchus spp. : C,D

Root-knot : Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood : S

ARACEAE (Aglaonema spp., Ag [Chinese evergreen and others]; Anthurium spp., An; Caladium spp., C; Dieffenbachia spp., D [dumb cane]; Epipremnum aureum Linden & Andre) Bunt., E [pothos]; Monstera spp., M; Philodendron spp., P: P. scandens C. Koch & H. Sello subsp. oxycardium (Schott) Bunt., Ps [heart-leaf philodendron]; Spathiphyllum spp., Sp; Syngonium spp., Sy [= Nephthytis spp.] )

BACTERIAL DISEASES

Bacterial leaf spots

Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (Jones) Bergey et al
Ag,An,C,D,E,P,Sy

E. chrysanthemi Burkholder et al.
Ag,D,E, P,Sy

Pseudomonas cichorii (Swingle) Stapp
Ag,An, D,M,P, Sy

Xanthomonas campestris pv. dieffenbachiae (McCulloch & Pirone) Dye
Ag,An, C,D,P,Sy

Red-edge

Xanthomonas campestris pv. dieffenbachiae (McCulloch & Pirone) Dye
Ps

Soft rot

Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (Jones) Bergey et al.
all

FUNGAL DISEASES

Anthracnose : Colletotrichum spp. : Ag,An, D,P,M,S

Black cane rot (Ceratocystis blight) 

Ceratocystis fimbriata Ellis & Halst. : Sy

(anamorph: Chalara sp.)

Brown leaf spot

Leptosphaeria spp. : D

Cephalosporium leaf spot

Acremonium crotocinigenum (Schol-Schwarz) W. Gams : D,Sy

= Cephalosporium crotocinigenum Schol-Schwarz

Colletotrichum spadix blight

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. in Penz : An

Cylindrocladium petiole & root rot

Cylindrocladium spathiphylli Schoulties et al. : Sp

Dactylaria leaf spot

Dactylaria humicola G.C. Bhatt & Kendrick : P

Fusarium corm rot

Fusarium solani (H. Mart.) Sacc. : C

(teleomorph: Nectria haematococca Berk. & Broome)

Fusarium stem rot

Fusarium solani (H. Mart.) Sacc. : Ag,D

Gray mold

Botrytis cinerea Pers.: Fr. P

Myrothecium leaf spot

Myrothecium roridum Tode : Fr. : Ag,D,P,Sp,Sy

Phytophthora leaf spot

Phytophthora spp. : D,P,Sp

Pythium root rot

Pythium spp. : all

Rhizoctonia aerial blight

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn : all

Southern blight

Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. : all

NEMATODES, PARASITIC

Burrowing

Radopholus similis (Cobb) Thorne : An,P,Sy

Foliar

Aphelenchoides spp. : An

Lesion

Pratylenchus spp. : C,D

Root-knot

Meloidogyne spp. : C,E,P

VIRUS DISEASES

Araceae cucumber mosaic

Cucumber mosaic virus : D,P

Araceae dasheen mosaic

Dasheen mosaic virus : Ag,An,C,D,P,Sp

ARALIACEAE (Brassaia actinophylla Endl., B [umbrella tree]; Dizygotheca spp., D [false Aralia]; Fatshedera lizei (Cochet) Guillaum, Fl; Fatsia japonica (Thunb.) Decne. & Planch., Fj; Hedera helix L., H [English ivy]; Polyscias spp., P [Aralia]; Schefflera arboricola Hayata ex. Kanchira, S [dwarf schefflera])

Alternaria leaf spot

Alternaria panax Whetzel in Whetzel & Rosenb. : B,D,Fl, P,S

Anthracnose

Colletotrichum trichellum (Fr.:Fr.) M.M. Duke : H

Bacterial leaf spots

Erwinia chrysanthemi Burkholder et al. : B,S

Pseudomonas cichorii (Swingle) Stapp : B,Fl, Fj,P,S

Xanthomonas campestris pv. hederae (Arnaud) Dye : B,Fl,Fj,H,P,S

Cercospora leaf spot

Cercospora spp. : B,S

Damping-off

Pythium spp. : B,Fj,S

Gray mold

Botrytis cinerea Pers.: Fr. : H

Phyllosticta leaf spot

Phyllosticta concentrica Sacc. : H

(teleomorph: Discochora philoprina Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Bissett)

Phytophthora leaf spot

Phytophthora palmivora (E.J. Butler) E.J. Butler : H

P. nicotianae Breda de Haan var. parasitica (Dastur)
    G.M. Waterhouse : B

= P. parasitica Dastur

Phytophthora root rot

Phytophthora spp. : H

Pythium root rot

Pythium spp. : B

Rhizoctonia aerial blight and stem rot

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn : all

Root-knot (nematodes)

Meloidogyne spp. :B

Southern blight

Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. : all

ARAUCARIACEAE (Araucaria heterophylla (Salisb) Franco, A [Norfolk Island Pine])

Bleeding canker

Dothiorella spp. : A

Lasiodiplodia theobromae (Pat.) Griffon & Maubl. : A

= Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat.

Cylindrocladium root rot

Cylindrocladium spp. : A

Needle blight

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. in Penz. : A

= C. derridis Van Hoof

Pythium root rot

Pythium spp. : A

ASCLEPIADACEAE (Hoya carnosa (L.F.) R. Br., H [wax plant])

Cercospora leaf spot

Cercospora spp. : H

Gray mold

Botrytis cinerea Pers.: Fr. : H

Rhizoctonia aerial blight

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn : H

BIGNONIACEAE (Radermachera sinica (Hance) Hemsl., R [China doll])

Corynespora leaf spot

Corynespora cassiicola (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) C.T. Wei : R

Myrothecium leaf spot

Myrothecium roridum Tode:Fr. : R

Phytophthora stem rot

Phytophthora nicotianae Breda de Haan var. parasitica
              (Dastur) G.M. Waterhouse : R

= P. parasitica Dastur

Rhizoctonia stem and root rot

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn : R

BROMELIACEAE (Aechmea fasciata (Lindl.) Bak., A [urn plant]; Cryptanthus, C [bromeliad])

Anthracnose

Colletotrichum spp. : C

Bacterial leaf spot

Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (Jones) Bergey et al. : A

Helminthosporium leaf spot

Setosphaeria rostrata K.J. Leonard : A

(anamorph: Exserohilum rostratum (Drechs.) K.J. Leonard
  & E.G. Suggs)

= Helminthosporium rostratum Drechs.

Rhizoctonia leaf spot

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn : A

CACTACEAE (Cereus spp. C; Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri (Regel) Moron, R [Easter cactus]; Schlumbergera truncata (Haw.) Moran [Thanksgiving cactus] and S. bridgesii (Lem.) Lofgr. [Christmas cactus], S; and many others)

Cactus cyst nematode

Cactodera cacti (Filipjev & Schuurmans- Stekhoven) Krall &  Krall : Many cacti

= Heterodera cacti Filipjev & Schuurmans-Stekhoven

Cactus virus X

Cactus virus X : Many cacti

Colletotrichum stem rot

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. in Penz : Many cacti

Fusarium stem rot

Fusarium oxysporum Schlechtend: Fr. : R,S

Helminthosporium stem rot, shattering

Bipolaris cactivora (Petr.) Alcorn : C,R,S

= Helminthosporium cactivorum Petr.

Soft rot

Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (Jones) Bergey et al. : C,R,S

COMMELINACEAE (Rhoeo spathacea (Swartz) Stearn, R [oyster plant]: Siderasis fuscata (Lodd.) H.E. Moore, S; Tradescantia spp., T [Spiderworts (wandering jew and others)]; Zebrina pendula Schnizl., Z [wandering jew])

Mosaic

Tobacco mosaic virus : R

Tomato mosaic virus : R,T

(Tradescantia mosaic)

Tradescantia mosaic virus : T,Z

Pythium root rot

Pythium spp. : R

Root-knot (nematode) (also called leaf gall)

Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood : S

Tan leaf spot

Curvularia eragrostidis (Henn.) J.A. Meyer : R,T

(teleomorph: Cochliobolus eragrostidis (Tsuda & Ueyama) Sivanesan)  

EUPHORBIACEAE (Codiaeum variegatum (L.) Blume, C [croton])

Anthracnose

Glomerella cingulata (Stoneman) Spauld. & H. Schrenk : C

Bacterial leaf spot

Xanthomonas campestris (Pammel) Dowson : C

Crown gall

Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Smith & Townsend) Conn : C

Lesion nematode

Pratylenchus coffea (Zimmerman) Filipjev & Schuurmans-Stekhoven : C

Stem gall and canker

Nectriella pironii Alfieri & Samuels : C

(anamorph: Kutilakesa pironii Alfieri)

GENTIANACEAE (Exacum affine Balf., E [Arabian violet]

Botrytis blight

Botrytis cinerea Pers: Fr. : E

Stem rot and wilt

Fusarium solani (H. Mart.) Sacc. : E

Spotted wilt

Tomato spotted wilt virus : E

GESNERIACEAE (Aeschynanthus pulcher (Blume) G. Don., A [lipstick vine]; Saintpaulia ionantha H. Wendl., Sa [African violet]; Sinningia spp., Si [gloxinia]

BACTERIAL DISEASES

Bacterial leaf spot

Pseudomonas spp. : Si

Erwinia blight

Erwinia chrysanthemi Burkholder et al. : Sa

FUNGAL DISEASES

Corynespora leaf spot

Corynespora cassiicola (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) C.T. Wei : A,Sa

Gray mold

Botrytis cinerea Pers.: Fr. : A,Sa,Si

Myrothecium leaf spot

Myrothecium roridum Tode:Fr. : A,Si

Phytophthora stem rot

Phytophthora nicotianae Breda de Haan var. parasitica (Dastur) G.M. Waterhouse

A,Sa,Si

= P. parasitica Dastur

Powdery mildew

Oidium spp. : Sa

VIRUS DISEASES

Mosaic

Tobacco mosaic virus : Si

Ringspot

Dahlia ringspot virus : Si

Tomato ringspot virus : Si

Spotted wilt

Tomato spotted wilt virus : Sa,Si

NEMATODES, PARASITIC :

Foliar

Aphelenchoides spp. :Sa,Si

MARANTACEAE (Calathea spp., C; Maranta leuconeura E. Morr., M [prayer plant]

BACTERIAL DISEASES

Pseudomonas leaf spot

Pseudomonas sp. : C

P. cichorii (Swingle) Stapp : C

FUNGAL DISEASES

Alternaria leaf spot

Alternaria alternata (Fr.:Fr.) Keissl. : C

Fusarium root rot

Fusarium oxysporum Schlechtend.:Fr. : C

Helminthosporium leaf spot

Bipolaris setariae (Sawada) Shoemaker : C,M

(teleomorph: Cochliobolus setariae (Ito & Kuribayashi)
    Drechs. ex Dastur

NEMATODES, PARASITIC

Burrowing

Radopholus similis (Cobb) Thorne : C,M

Root-knot

Meloidogyne javanica (Treub) Chitwood : M

VIRUS DISEASES

Mosaic

Cucumber mosaic virus : C,M

MORACEAE (Ficus benjamina L., Fb [weeping fig]; F. elastica Roxb. ex Hornem,, Fe [rubber tree]; F. lyrata, Fl [fiddle-leaf fig]

Anthracnose

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. in Penz. : Fe,Fl

Bacterial leaf spot

Pseudomonas cichorii (Swingle) Stapp : Fb,Fe,Fl

Xanthomonas campestris (Pammel) Dowson

Cercospora leaf spot

Cercospora spp. : Fe

Corynespora leaf spot

Corynespora cassiicola (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) C.T. Wei : Fb

Crown gall

Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Smith and Townsend) Conn : Fb,Fe

Foliar nematode

Aphelenchoides besseyi Christie : Fe

Gray mold

Botrytis cinerea Pers. : Fr. : Fe,Fl

Phomopsis dieback

Diplodia spp. : Fb

Lesion nematodes

Pratylenchus spp. : Fb,Fe

Southern blight

Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. : Fb,Fe,Fl

Verticillium wilt

Verticillium albo-atrum Reinke & Berthier : Fb

PALMAE (Caryota mitis Lear., C [fishtail palm]; Chamaedorea spp., Ch [parlor palm, Florida hybrid palm], Chrysalidocarpus lutescens H. Wendl., Ca [Areca palm]; Howea forsterana, H [Kentia palm]; Rhapis excelsa (Thunb.) A. Henry, R [lady finger palm])

Bacterial leaf blight

Pseudomonas avenea Manns : C

Brown leaf spot

Pseudocercospora rhapisicola Tominaga : R

= Cercospora rhapisicola Tominaga

Burrowing nematode

Radopholus similis (Cobb) Thorne : Ch

Cylindrocladium leaf spot

Cylindrocladium spp. : H

C. crotalariae (C.A. Loos) D.K. Bell & Sobers : H

(teleomorph: Calonectria crotalariae (C.A. Loos) D.K. Bell
    & Sobers)

C. theae (Petch) Subramanian : H

(teleomorph: Calonectria theae C.A. Loos)

Damping-off

Fusarium spp. : C,Ca, Ch,H,R

Pythium spp. : C,Ca, Ch,H,R

Gliocladium stem rot

Gliocladium vermoeseni (Biourge) Thom. : Ca,Ch

Helminthosporium leaf spot

Bipolaris setariae (Sawada)Shoemaker : H,R

= Helminthosporium setariae Sawada

Exserohilum rostratum (Drechs.) K.J Leonard & E.G. Suggs : C,Ca,Ch,H,R

= H. rostratum Drechs.

Leaf spot

Phaeotrichoconis crotalariae (M.A. Salam & P.N. Rao) Subramanian : Ca

Lethal yellows

Mycoplasma-like organism (MLO) : C

Phytophthora stem rot and blight

Phytophthora spp. : Ch

Lesion nematodes

Pratylenchus spp. : Ch

PIPERACEAE (Peperomia spp., P [radiator plant; baby rubber tree, emerald ripple peperomia and others])

Anthracnose

Colletotrichum spp. : P

Cercospora leaf spot

Cercospora spp. : P

Mosaic

Cucumber mosiac virus : P

Myrothecium leaf spot

Myrothecium roridum Tode:Fr. : P

Phyllosticta leaf spot

Phyllosticta spp. : P

Phytophthora stem and root rot

Phytophthora nicotianae Breda de Haan var. parasitica
    (Dastur) G.M. Waterhouse : P

= P. parasitica Dastur

Pythium root rot

Pythium splendens Braun : P

Rhizoctonia leaf spot

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn : P

Ring spot

Unidentified virus : P

Southern blight

Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. : P

Verticillium wilt

Verticillium albo-atrum Reinke & Berthier  : P

POLYPODIACEAE (Asplenium nidus L., A [bird's nest fern]; Davallia spp.,
D [rabbit foot fern, etc.]; Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott, N [ Boston fern]; Platycerium spp., Pl [staghorn fern]; Pteris spp., Pt [table fern])

Bacterial blight

Pseudomonas cichorii (Swingle) Stapp : A,Pl

P. asplenii (Ark and Tompkins) Savulescu : A,Pl

P. gladioli Severini : A,D,Pl, Pt

Gray mold

Botrytis cinerea Pers.: Fr. : D,N,Pt

Foliar nematode

Aphelenchoides fragariae (Ritsema-Bos) Christie : A,N

Rhizoctonia aerial blight

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn : D,N,Pl, Pt

Lesion nematode

Pratylenchus spp. : N

URTICACEAE (Pellionia spp., Pe; Pilea spp., Pi [aluminum plant and others])

Anthracnose

Colletotrichum capsici (Syd.) E.J. Butler & Bisby : Pi

Bacterial leaf spot

Xanthomonas campestris (Pammel) Dowson : Pe,Pi

Myrothecium leaf spot

Myrothecium roridum Tode:Fr. : Pe,Pi

Phytophthora blight

Phytophthora nicotianae Breda de Haan var. parasitica
    (Dastur) G.M. Waterhouse : Pi

= P. parasitica Dastur

Southern blight

Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. : Pe

VITACEAE (Cissus striata Ruiz & Pav. and C. rhombifolia Vahl, Cr [grape ivy];C. antartica Venten., Ca [kangaroo vine])

Anthracnose

Colletotrichum spp. :Ca,Cr

Glomerella cingulata (Ston.) Spauld. & H. Shrenk

Downy mildew

Plasmopara spp. : Ca,Cr

Gray mold

Botrytis cinerea Pers.: Fr. : Ca,Cr

Powdery mildew

Oidium spp. : Cr

Rhizoctonia aerial blight

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn : Ca,Cr