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Serpula himantioides was found to be a causal agent of butt rot in Douglas fir and Japanese larch in northern Germany. The decay started predominantly from tap roots and main side roots and extended few meters into the stem. In final stages of rot the basal heartwood was completely destroyed and the residual width of healthy sapwood was reduced. Laboratory tests revealed a tolerance by the futigus to extremely acid substrates.

Summary Fresh sapwood blocks of Norway spruce (Picea abies) were exposed to 12‐ and 60‐day attack by Stereum sanguinolentum in pure culture and were examined with respect to structural, topochemical and colour alterations. Final stages of degradation by 5. sanguinolentum were studied on naturally decayed spruce wood after 1 year of fungal growth. The development of discoloration in the main anatomical directions of wood was assessed. Furthermore, microspectrophotometrical studies on the decomposition of cell wall polyphenols were performed. Initial signs of sap streak appeared already 8 days after fungal infection. Within the three‐dimensional decay pattern, mycelial aggregations associ‐ated with the ray tissue proved to be the major cause of discoloration. UV extinction measurements taken at 280 nm of different parts of cell wall transverse sections revealed a specific pattern of lignin distribution and its derivatives during fungal degradation.

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