Bulletin 229, Diseases of Citrus in Florida


rooms or toadstool-like fungi which may occur around trees oc-
casionally but be without any pathological significance. When
fully developed, the caps are convex in shape, tan-colored, and
range from 2 to 31/> inches in diameter as a rule (Fig. 22). The


 Fig. 22.-Cluster of the mushrooms or toad-stools of the Clitocybe
 root rot fungus.
clusters attain their full development within a few days under
favorable conditions and decay very quickly in warm wet
weather. However, if dry weather follows their development,
especially during the fall or early winter, they may dry up and
remain recognizable for two to three months, and often much
longer, thus marking the tree as undoubtedly one attacked by
root rot (Fig. 21, right). In the absence of the fruiting bodies
of the fungus the disease appears to be distinguishable from foot
rot only by finding the characteristic mycelial growth of the fun-
gus between the bark and the wood of the roots, which is best
done in those below the surface of the ground, where better mois-
ture conditions prevail.