Fungus
Palm Butt Rot Fungus
Ganoderma zonatumAlso known as Palm Butt Rot, Palm Conk, Ganoderma Butt Rot Fungus
Palm butt rot fungus is a destructive plant pathogen that attacks palms, entering through roots or lower trunk wounds to degrade internal wood structures. As the mycelium consumes the host from within, dark mahogany shelf-like conks emerge near the base with a pale growing margin and zonate upper surface. Infected palms gradually experience wilting fronds, stunted growth, and ultimate structural collapse near the soil line.
Wood-DecayingPathogenicFungus
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyLignicolous wood decay (parasitic and saprophytic on palms)
Predators
- Fungivorous Beetles
- Mites
- Fungus Gnat Larvae
ThreatsRemoval of infected host trees and soil sterilization
HabitatsSubtropical and tropical landscapes, palm plantations, coastal woodlands
Life spanPerennial fruiting bodies; tree infection persists multiple years
Classification
- OrderPolyporales
- FamilyPolyporaceae
- GenusGanoderma
- SpeciesGanoderma zonatum
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Many edible mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Spotting Conks: Look for reddish-brown, shelf-like fruiting bodies forming near the base of declining palm trunks.
- Management Care: Avoid planting susceptible palms in soil where an infected tree was previously removed.
Host Plant (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Host Plant (c) mauro halpern, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved · cc0
Close Relative (c) Chael Thomas, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Chael Thomas · cc-by-sa
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