No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

New Zealand�s lignicolous pyrenomycete flora has been little studied. The cosmopolitan Lasiosphaeriaceae, largest and least studied family in the Sordariales, has long been noted for its morphological diversity and the artificiality of its grouping. This first systematic study of lignicolous Lasiosphaeriaceae in New Zealand uses morphology and phylogenetics to elucidate relationships within the New Zealand mycota and facilitate comparisons with relatives worldwide. Collection areas spanned New Zealand�s 13 degrees of latitude and included a range of native forest types. The novel application of recently-available molecular biology techniques allowed sequencing from single pyrenomycete fruitbodies. Two new genera and 15 new species or species complexes are proposed in total. A new genus is proposed within the Lasiosphaeriaceae to accommodate an interesting new collection. Seven new species are described in the known genera Lasiosphacria and Lasiosphaeris and the polyphyly of certain Lasiosphacria taxa is discussed. Five new taxa are described within the Chaetosphaeriaceae, including a pair with surprisingly unique morphology. All are currently placed within Chaetosphaeria, but comprise part of a recently recognised long-spored clade that is sister to that which includes the type genus. Within the Helminthosphaeriaceae one new genus is proposed to accommodate an unusual new collection; and a new species described within Hilberina, but its transference to a new genus predicted as knowledge of this recent family grows. Phylogenetic results support the separation of the Chaetosphaeriaceae and Helminthosphaeriaceae from the Lasiosphaeriaceae where many of these taxa were previously. The traditional morphological character of ascospore shape is shown to have little use in the delimitation of genera. More recently emphasised characters such as peridial wall structure may have more value, however the fruitbody wall of some New Zealand taxa could not be more different from their phylogenetic relatives. New Zealand taxa are noted for their frequently unprecedented morphology and/or unique genetics in comparison with other known taxa, which are predominantly from the northern hemisphere. The high levels of morphological and genetic divergence among New Zealand taxa appear to reflect extensive microfungal endemism on these relatively isolated islands; but surveys of diversity in other parts of Gondwana are desperately needed. A Key to New Zealand taxa within the Lasiosphaeriaceae, Helminthosphaeriaceae and long-spored Chaetosphaeriaceae is provided.

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1992. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-125). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 1996. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-123). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis--University of Helsinki, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1965. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-127).

Thesis--University of Helsinki, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references.

The present study was undertaken to examine the litter decay fungi of red cedar (Thuja piicata Donn). The fungi involved in conifer litter decay have not been examined intensively and there has been no study of red cedar litter decay. Since Thuja is often found in wet, poorly drained areas, it provided an opportunity to observe occurrence of litter decay fungi relative to slight differences in distance from a stream margin. This was determined by observing changes in the frequency of the fungi at various distances from the margin of a stream and also by observing seasonal changes in fungal populations. An ordination of the data was performed to determine if there were species associations which would characterize the relatively minor horizontal and vertical spatial changes in the sites. The sites were divided into subsites (high, middle and low with respect to the stream) and samples were taken at each subsite. Red cedar branchlets from the L and F litter layers were washed and plated on a selective medium or placed in moist chambers; all observed species were isolated and identified. Most of these were members of the Fungi Imperfecti. The frequency of occurrence of the more commonly isolated species was utilized in a Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to determine associations of subsites, layers or species. There was little distinction between the three subsites, but there was a general separation of the high subsite from the low subsite, the middle subsite showing affinities to both. The L and F layers represented a division of the litter layer which formed more distinct clusters in the ordination, especially in the Site B data. Seasonal distinction among the samples seemed to reflect the extremes of the seasons. The spring and summer samples generally grouped together, as did the fall and winter samples. Species associations reflected various combinations of the above groupings, depending on the species groups involved. Again the most distinct groups represented extremes, e.g., species prominent in dry samples, especially in the high subsite, or species prominent in moist conditions, especially in the low subsite. No single variable provided clear distinction among the various subsites, layers, seasons or species. However, the combination of all of these gave general indications as to probable fungal associations. / Science, Faculty of / Botany, Department of / Graduate