Capacity of fungi to colonise wood of the East African camphor tree, Ocotea usambarensis

The capacities of 24 decay fungi, isolated from living trees and decayed ti mber of the East African camphor tree, to colonise sapwood and heartwood of living trees was tested. Eight species colonised sapwood, and Eve colonise d heartwood and were viable 12 months after inoculation. It was noteworthy that eight important decay species of the East African camphor timber, incl uding Phellinus senex, which is the dominant heartrot species, failed to in vade tissues of living trees. The implications of these findings are discus sed in relation to the water content and pH of infected and non-infected ti ssues as well as some parameters of growth of colonised trees.