Ophiostoma protearum sp.nov. associated with Protea caffra infructescences

A new ophiostomatoid fungus, Ophiostoma protearum, and its Sporothrix anamorph, is described based on isolations from infructescences of Protea caffra. The species is compared with ophiostomatoid fungi previously described from Protea infructescences in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Based on differences in their anamorphs, there appear to be two evolutionary lines among these fungi in this niche. Key words: Ceratocystis, Ceratocystiopsis, Ophiostoma protearum, Sporothrix, Knoxdaviesia, biogeography.