Emerging Forest Diseases: A Case Study of Greenheart (Chlorocardium spp., Lauraceae) and the Newly Described Fungus, Xylaria karyophthora

Abstract

Greenheart (Chlorocardium spp., Lauraceae) is one of Guyana’s most economically important timber species. It is a large evergreen canopy tree with desirable wood characteristics and no previously recorded pathogens. Recently, however, the fungal species Xylaria karyophthora was described from morbid Greenheart seeds found throughout central Guyana. For years, forestry stakeholders have postulated that the future of Greenheart in Guyana is threatened due to overharvesting. However, X. karyophthora may represent a new immediate threat to the Greenheart industry. The exact time of emergence of this fungus is unclear, although our examination of historical records indicates that it was sometime before 2000. In this review, we discuss the history of key silvicultural and mycological research in relation to Greenheart in Guyana and the threats to its production.

Keywords

• Guiana shield
• Guyana
• new diseases
• seed colonist
• Xylaria
• Xylariaceae