Diversity of saprobic hyphomycetes on Proteaceae and Restionaceae from South Africa

To assess the diversity of saprobic microfungi occurring on the Proteaceae and Restionaceae of the Western Cape province of South Africa, samples of leaf, stem, flowerhead and culm litter were collected from the year 2000 until the end of 2002. About 1 000 fungal collections were made, 117 of which were hyphomycetes, representing 66 species in 53 genera. Of these, 49 species were newly recorded from South Africa, and 64 occurred on previously unreported host substrates. The diversity of hyphomycetes on Proteaceae and Restionaceae is discussed, together with a list of the hyphomycetes.