Saprobic fungi on bamboo culms

Abstract

This paper examines the taxonomic composition of saprobic fungi on dead culms of Bambusa spp. and Dendrocalamus spp. in the Philippines and in Hong Kong. A total of 2044 collections of saprobic fungi were made, comprising 24 ascomycetes, 56 mitosporic taxa, and 1 basidiomycete. The most commonly encountered ascomycete families on both hosts and at both sites were the Xylariaceae and Valsaceae, which were represented by 20% and 21.7% of the total collections, respectively. Other common families were the Amphisphaeriaceae (8.9%) and Chaetomiaceae (11.9%). The most common hyphomycetes on both hosts at both sites were Acrodictys bambusicola (9.6%), Curvularia lunata (9%), Cladosporium cladosporioides (8.3%), Corynespora foveolata (7.9%), Ellisembia vaginata (6.1 %), Phaeoisaria philippinensis (6.5%), and Acremonium kiliense (6%). With the exception of Diplozythiella bambusina which was observed on Bambusa at both sites, the genera of coelomycetes differed at both sites. Species of Bambusa from both sites yielded more collections of saprobic fungi (1537), than did Dendrocalamus (507). Differences in the mycota between the two sites were observed. Collections of saprobes on both hosts in the Philippines were higher (1278) than in Hong Kong (766).