1. Introduction
The genus Ceratocystis sensu stricto Ellis and Halsted is
a small group of saprobes and parasites of many commercially
important crop plants and trees. They are distinguished
from other ophiostomatoid fungi by their £askshaped
ascomata, Chalara anamorphs, and sensitivity to
cycloheximide [1,2]. Several species have been described as
growing on coniferous hosts and are capable of staining
the sapwood blue or gray. The growth and staining of
these fungi in wood is rapid and they cause considerable
value loss to the wood products industry.
The conifer associated Ceratocystis species are morphologically
similar yet appear to occupy di¡erent ecological
niches [3] and are intersterile [4]. They display a range of
behaviors, from saprobic to pathogenic growth. C. coerulescens
has been isolated from Picea and Pinus in both