Fungal disease killing L.A. palm trees
(AP)


<p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061017/ap_on_sc/withering_palms"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20061017/capt.b033e4e908d144b9b722fc7648c27cd3.withering_palms_cadd901.jpg?x=130&y=92&sig=ODSMgCaRN1Em252EucCA6g--" align="left" height="92" width="130" alt="Palm trees are seen in Elysian Park in Los Angeles, Oct. 11, 2006. Tall and skinny, able to grow like weeds, the noble palm tree has come to define Los Angeles. But in some cases ravaged by disease, palm trees are beginning to vanish from the city's nearly four dozen parks, being replaced by what officials say are more native species, including oaks and sycamores.(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)" border="0" /></a>AP - The city's palm trees — as much a symbol of L.A. as the automobile, movie stars and the beach — are vanishing. The trees are dying of old age and a fungal disease, disappearing one by one from parks and streets, and city planners are replacing them with oaks, sycamores and other species that are actually native to Los Angeles and offer more shade, too.</p><br clear="all"/>