Fungi anamorphici in Australasia

Fungi are everywhere but mycologists are not and the fungi anamorphici, whi ch includes hyphomycetes and coelomycetes, is an under-studied group in Aus tralasia. It is the second largest group of fungi and its members play an i mportant role in nutrient cycling. Plant pathogenic species are the best-do cumented and fungi anamorphici feature prominently in lists of plant diseas es for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. The few resident myc ologists specialising in taxonomy and systematics of fungi anamorphici have made major advances in the study of plant pathogens (e.g. Bipolaris, Fusar ium) and those of industrial importance (e.g. Penicillium). Visiting mycolo gists who have made significant collections of Australasian fungi anamorphi ci include B. C. Sutton in Australia, S. J. Hughes in New Zealand and T. Ma tsushima in Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. A census o f fungi anamorphici is being prepared for Fungi of Australia and a database of all species recorded from New Zealand is being compiled. Australasian s tudies of fungi anamorphici in freshwater and marine environments and those associated with arthropods are discussed. Rainforests and numerous other h abitats in Australasia remain a vast storehouse of unknown fungi anamorphic i-thousands of species yet to be collected, classified and described.