A NEW SPECIES OF OPHIOSTOMA FROM PROTEA-INFRUCTESCENCES IN SOUTH-AFRICA

Ophiostoma capense, a new species from insect-infested infructescences of various Protea spp. in the Cape Province of South Africa, is descr ibed. The Knoxdaviesia anamorph of this fungus is likewise described a s K. capensis. O. capense is morphologically similar to Ceratocystiops is proteae previously described from infructescences of Protea repens. However, it differs from this species in various morphological charac teristics, including the absence of apparently sheathed ascospores. Un like C. proteae, O. capense was never found on P. repens but was commo n on flowers of numerous other Protea spp. The discovery of O. capense has called in question the taxonomic placement of C. proteae, and fur ther studies on these taxonomically and mycogeographically interesting fungi are required.