In 1988, small fungal structures were found on beloved Protea flowers, endemic to South Africa. The fungal structures were identified as ophiostomatoid fungi, and besides being confined to the plants infructescence, or fruiting head, literally nothing was known about their ecology. Nearly 30 years later, with the advancement of technology and a few driven individuals focused on describing how these species function, we now finally have some answers. Who would have thought that this small, unassuming fungus would have such a complex ecology? I have learned about tripartite interactions, and thought that those were farfetched. Well, the natural world just keeps on surprising us.

Plants in the genus Protea are critically important in the functioning of shrubland ecosystems that exist in the Western Cape of South Africa. These shrublands or ‘fynbos’ ecoregions are similar to Mediterranean type ecosystems and are home to some of the most plant species rich places in all of Africa. Species of Protea are some the larger plants to grow in the area, so they are vital in plant water relations, driving supplies of water from depths many plants can’t access to the surface, in a process called hydraulic lift. Also, these plants produce large, nectar bearing flowers that support a huge array of insect and bird species, which are also vital to the pollination and dispersal of many other plants native to these systems.