XVI International Botanical Congess
Laboulbeniales fungi, all of which are obligately associated with living arthropods, provide a focal group for investigations of general patterns of fungal biogeography and biodiversity. Most of the published data relate to north temperate, or tropical settings, with infection rates and overall taxonomic diversity being higher in the latter. Preliminary surveys of south temperate Laboulbeniales diversity in New Zealand reveal unexpectedly high rates of infection and taxonomic endemism. Further work will target native habitats and species in an attempt to better understand the biogeography and evolution of