Plant Disease Management Handbook

Cause Rhytisma punctatum, a fungus. The disease is common on bigleaf maple on the Pacific Coast and also attacks many other species, particularly silver, mountain, and striped maple. The fungus overwinters in stroma on fallen leaves. Leaf areas with stroma do not decompose as fast as areas that are not infected. Infection occurs as spores are ejected from these overwintered leaves during rainy periods in the spring.

Cause Phyllactinia marissallii, a fungus that attacks only maple. Sawadaea bicornis has been found in all states on bigleaf and Norway maple. It is suspected that this fungus was introduced into North American sometime before 1938 from Europe. S. tulansnei has been found in Idaho and Oregon on Norway maple.