Fungal biodiversity,pollen morphology and leaf surface of some native species in Egypt

Five native species of the flora of Egypt: Adonis dentata Delile, Ranunculaceae; Papaver dubium L., Papaveraceae; Matthiola longipetala (Vent.) DC., Brassicaceae; Malva parviflora L., Malvaceae; and Erodium laciniatum (Cav.) Willd., Geraniaceae have been investigated morphologically, palynologically and mycologically. The total counts of phyllosphere fungi fluctuated between 223 and 388 colonies/100 leaf segments giving maximum on Malva parviflora followed by Matthiola longipetala, Erodium laciniatum, Papaver dubium and Adonis dentata. The widest spectrum of genera (20) and species (39 and l variety) was recorded on Malva parviflora and the narrowest on Adonis dentata (9, 14). Sixty species and one variety belonging to 27 genera were collected from leaves (24 genera and 56 species and 1 variety) and anthers/pollen (16 genera and 27 species) of the five studied plants with the most frequently species were some members of Alternaria, Cladosporium, Fusarium and Mucor. Members of Aspergillus and Penicillium were prevalent only on leaves of Matthiola longipetala and Malva parviflora, while these members were infrequently recorded on leaf surfaces of Adonis dentata and Papaver dubium. Results revealed that density of hairs on the leaf surface and size of leaf blade, almost seem to be the most reliable factors of the biodiversity of the fungal spores on the studied taxa. On the other hand, reticulate or striate pollen surface had a wider spectrum of fungal biodiversity and higher densities of spores compared with echinate and scabrate surface.