Ophiostoma africanum sp nov., and a key to ophiostomatoid species from Protea infructescences

Two distinct and unrelated groups of ophiostomatoid fungi are associated wi th Protea infructescences. Two species, Gondwanamyces proteae and G. capens is, have unique anamorphs that reside in Knoxdaviesia. This anamorph genus is infrequently found amongst species of Ceratocytis sensu lato. The second group includes Ophiostoma splendens and O. protearum that have Sporothrix anamorphs typical of Ophiostoma,il. During recent collections of Protea gag uedi infructescences from the Northern Province in South Africa, an apparen tly new species of Ophiostoma,rm with a Sporothrix anamorph was discovered. It can be distinguished from O. splendens and O. protearum based on its sh ort ostiolar hyphae and its associated plant host. This teleomorph is descr ibed as O. africanum and the anamorph as S. africanum. Five species of ophi ostomaoid fungi are now known from Protea infructescences and a key is pres ented for them.