the once prevalent American chestnut became increasingly uncommon throughout its traditional range in the Appalachians. While many trees in the southern range were killed by Phytophthora root rot ...

UNITED STATES — It’s been a very long time since vendors sold the American chestnut on city sidewalks ... now exist mostly as a vast network of root systems underground, sending up shoots.

The American chestnut had none. Its range at one point extended as far south as the Florida panhandle. But before the blight, Phytophthora cinnamomi — root rot — killed many southern trees ...

The American Chestnut was a major component of the eastern forest and was wiped out by fungus blight. The key scientist for the genetic research on chestnut trees is Charles Maynard, my brother-in ...