Sapstain fungi discolour lumber, logs and tree sapwood and are often mistaken for moulds, which cause a superficial discoloration. Stained wood has a lower market value. Further, because stained wood products can potentially carry pathogenic fungi, such products may be refused by importing countries. Addressing these issues involves developing ways for accurately identifying staining fungi, documenting how they are geographically distributed, and developing ways of monitoring fungal transfer in wood products. To respond to these needs we are constructing an “Ophiostomatoid fungi” database that will be accessible via Internet. The objective is to provide university, industry, and government agency with a resource that offers key information pertinent to trade and environmental issues. The database includes information on the genera Ceratocystis, Ceratocystiopsis, Leptographium, and Ophiostoma. To support identifying isolates, it has a flexible taxonomy / morphology search tool that gives access to detailed descriptions of fungal characteristics, micrographs and diagrams. Each fungal species is described by morphological and molecular characteristics, physiology, habitat, and geographic distribution. To support molecular identification, sequence data are directly linked to NCBI/Genbank data pages. To support work on fungi in forests, wood and wood products, links connect to websites of insects which can vector fungi, of trees, and of mycology. We seek national and international partners who will actively contribute to improving and expanding this resource.

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