Fungi associated with infructescences of Protea species in South Africa, including a new species of ophiostoma

Infructescences of different Protea species were collected in various parts of the western Cape Province of South Africa. Isolations were made and fungi were identified. A wide variety of Hyphomycetes and Ascomycetes including ophiostomatoid fungi were found. These included a previously undescribed Ophiostoma species which is described here as O. splendens. This fungus is remarkable in that it appears to be unrelated to previously isolated ophiostomatoid fungi from Protea infructescences. It will, therefore, form an important component in phylogenetic studies on this group of fungi.