New ophiostomatoid fungi from wounds on storm-damaged trees in Afromontane forests of the Cape Floristic Region

Abstract

Ophiostomatoid fungi, a well-known tree-associated group, include some of the most important forest pathogens globally. Several ophiostomatoid species were reported already from Rapanea melanophloeos of the Afromontane forests from the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) of South Africa. The aim of this study was to investigate the diversity of ophiostomatoid fungi associated with wounds on other Afromontane forest tree species in the CFR. Storm-damaged trees were surveyed and fungi were isolated from bark and wood samples. Two undescribed ophiostomatoid species were identified based on micro-morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses. They are newly described here as Graphilbum roseum and Sporothrix oleae. A third taxon in the genus Graphium may also represent an undescribed species, but additional data is required to support this hypothesis. Sporothrix oleae, a species that groups within the S. candida species complex, was associated with Olea capensis. Graphilbum roseum was isolated from several host tree species including Curtisia dentata, Halleria lucida and Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus, while the Graphium sp. was isolated from Ilex mitis.