Records of cosmopolitan myxomycetes occurring on banana litter from Southern Mindanao, Philippines

Abstract

Banana leaf litter as a microhabitat for cosmopolitan myxomycetes has never been studied in the Philippines. Since Southern Mindanao hosts a number of local banana plantations, ground leaf litters and pseudostems were randomly collected to set up moist chamber cultures that eventually yielded plasmodial or fruiting body records. Fructifications were observed from moist chambers containing the litters from the pseudostem. Five species are reported for this study namely, Arcyria cinerea, Didymium nigripes, Didymium squamulosum, Perichaena depressa, and Perichaena vermicularis. This record calls for comprehensive investigation of agricultural plantations in the country for possible substrate association of myxomycetes.