Several recent studies have reviewed the extent of fungal biodiversity, and have used these data as basis for revised estimates of species numbers based on known numbers of plants and insects. None of these studies, however, have focused on fungal biodiversity in South Africa. Coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the National Collection of Fungi (PREM) in South Africa in 2005, it is thus timely to reflect on the taxonomic research that has been conducted in South Africa over the past Century. Information is presented on the extent of fungal collections preserved at PREM, and the associated research publications that have largely resulted from this resource. These data are placed in context of the known plant and insect biodiversity, and used as basis to estimate the potential number of fungi that could be expected in South Africa. The conservative estimate is of approximately 200 000 species without taking into account those associated with a substantial insect biodiversity.

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非洲的尖端有多少种真菌？

最近的几项研究回顾了真菌生物多样性的范围，并将这些数据用作根据已知植物和昆虫数量对物种数量进行修订估计的基础。然而，这些研究都没有关注南非的真菌生物多样性。2005 年恰逢南非国家真菌收藏 (PREM) 成立 100 周年，因此反思过去一个世纪在南非进行的分类学研究是及时的。提供有关 PREM 保存的真菌收藏范围的信息，以及主要由此资源产生的相关研究出版物。这些数据放在已知植物和昆虫生物多样性的背景下，并用作估计南非可能出现的潜在真菌数量的基础。