Microfungi on Proteaceae in the fynbos
The fynbos is a shrubland characterised by a fire-prone ecosystem and Mediterranean climate. Although it is extremely rich in plant species, and has a high degree of floral endemism, very little is known regarding the fungi in this unique and fascinating environment. This book contains the result of investigation of the saprobic microfungi that colonise and utilise leaf and twig litter and senescent flowerheads of Protea species in this environment. A total of 141 fungal species residing in 103 genera and 43 families were identified. Of these, 59 species represented novel taxa, thirty-eight species reflected new records for South Africa, and 48 species were new reports on Proteaceae. Biodiversity analysis revealed the species richness for the fynbos Mycota was moderately high with 2.2 collections representing a different fungal species. The percentage of new fungal taxa (43 % of the total species) was exceptionally high, and most of these probably host-specific. More than 80 % of the fungi collected in this study had hard and closed fruiting structures, indicating an adaptation to the constraints of the harsh fynbos environment. Other than providing a foundation for further studies, this investigation highlights a disturbing paucity of knowledge regarding the fynbos Mycota in one of the worlds most threatened and unusual floral Kingdoms.
