Occurrence of fungi on tissues of Livistona chinensis

Ninety-one species of saprobic fungi were identified from decaying leaves a nd petioles of Livistona chinensis. Leaves of L. chinensis were dominated b y two species of Pseudospiropes during the first month, and subsequently by Lachnum palmae and Zygosporium echinosporum. Appendicospora hongkongensis and Oxydothis elaeicola dominated on petiole tips, midpetioles and petiole bases of the palm. The frequency of occurrence and the relative abundance o f the latter two species increased during the first 4 months. Astrosphaerie lla bakariana dominated the petiole tips and mid-petioles after 10 months o f decay. Fungi with sporadic dominance include Cocoicola livistonicola and Verticillium cf. dahliae on petiole tips, and Oxydothis obducens on mid-pet ioles and petiole bases. A correspondence analysis performed for fungi occu rring on different tissue types revealed distinct clusters, corresponding t o leaves and petiole parts. The high percentage of fungal taxa confined to the leaves or petiole parts indicated that saprobic palmicolous fungi exhib it tissue specificity.