Phylogenetic relationships of ophiostomatoid fungi associated with Protea infructescences in South Africa

Five ophiostomatoid taxa have been found associated with the infructescence s of Protea species, an ancient group of flowering plants endemic to South Africa. Two of these fungi are characterized by their unusual Knoxdavesia a namorphs and have been placed in Gondwanamyces. The three remaining species have Sporothrix anamorphs and have accordingly been accommodated in Ophios toma. The phylogenetic relationships between the fungi associated with Prot ea spp. and other ophiostomatoid fungi in Ceratocystis and Ophiostoma are u nknown. Large subunit ribosomal RNA sequence data was obtained for the fung i associated with Protea infructescences as well as for the type species of Ceratocystis and Ophiostoma. Both groups of ophiostomatoid fungi were phyl ogenetically distinct from either Ceratocystis or Ophiostoma, despite shari ng morphological and physiological characters with these genera. The specie s of Ophiostoma associated with Protea infructescences group within the Oph iostomatales while species of Gondwanamyces group within the Microascales. Furthermore, the Ophiostoma spp. from Protea should reside in a separate ge nus and are a fascinating example of convergent evolution towards insect di spersal.