Bambusicolous fungi: a review

Abstract

More than 1100 species of fungi have been described or recorded world-wide from bamboo and include ca. 630 ascomycetes, 150 basidiomycetes and 330 mitosporic taxa (100 coelomycetes and 230 hyphomycetes). Most taxa have been recorded from Asia, with relatively fewer known from India and South America. The bamboo genera Bambusa, Phyllostachys, Sasa, and Arundinaria are rich sources of fungi yielding 253, 178, 84, and 82 species, respectively. Most species are saprobes found on decaying culms, although pathogens and endophytes have also been recorded. The most common families of ascomycetes on bamboo are the Hypocreaceae, Phyllachoraceae and Xylariaceae, represented by the common genera Nectria, Phyllachora and Hypoxylon respectively. The most well represented genera of hyphomycetes on bamboo are Acrodictys, Coniosporium, Periconia, Podosporium and Sporidesmium. Suggestions for future work on bamboo fungi are made.