Friesia X, 4-5

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Fig. 18. L ulworthia sp. Perithecia with long necks, immersed or partly free
due to erosion. From driftwood collected at Grønhøj 19.10.1967. X 10.
The marine fungi colonizing driftwood, together with the substrate
itself, are subjected to a physically disturbed environment and it is
therefore not unreasonable to assume that the location of fruit bodies
in relation to the substrate is of importance in the dispersal biology
of the fungi concerned. This appears to be particularly pronounced in
group 2 and to alesser extent in group 1 b. In heavy seas and in surf
along the coast the formation of perithecia is rendered difficult.
Hence propagation is undoubtedly favoured by the proximity of the
coast where the wood can possibly undergo alternate periods on the
beach and in the coastal water. These marine fungi can be regarded
as coast types and their stay on the beach may pos sibly represent
an important stage of their life cycle. The species in group 2 have
been regarded as arenicolous (sand-inhabiting) (KOHLMEYER 1966) in
contrast to the lignicolous species (group 1 a). This is unfortunate
since both groups of fungi seem to live in and on wood, and at the
locality none of the fungi was found .growing freely between the
grains of sand. In any case no fruit bodies were found except very
close to a carbohydrate food base (wood).
Group 1 a contains marine fungi which are independent of the
coast proximity with regard to fruit body formation and hence pro­
pagation. The open sea should not influence the possibility of spore
production. In this connection may be mentioned that SCHAUMANN
(1969) in an investigation of Ascomycetes on piles located in water