
Plant and Fungal Trees of Life (PAFTOL)
Discovering and disseminating the evolutionary history of all plant and fungal genera.
PAFTOLIn line with government advice, Christmas at Kew and Glow Wild has been cancelled for the duration of the running programme. Ticket holders will have been contacted via email with their options.
Both Kew Gardens and Wakehurst are open in the daytime (although some of our buildings are closed). Book a time slot to Kew Gardens or Wakehurst before you visit.
Exploring the diversity and evolution of the world’s fungi.
All life depends on plants, but all plants depend on fungi. With their multiple ecological roles (e.g. as decomposers, symbionts, pathogens), fungi are fundamental to life on Earth. Yet knowledge of fungal biology lags far behind that of plants.
Kew has a strong track record in fungal diversity research and is home to the largest fungarium in the world, holding over 1.25 million fungal specimens. The Comparative Fungal Biology team combines fundamental taxonomic expertise with modern molecular approaches and ecological perspectives. Our research ranges from baseline diversity studies in biodiversity hotspots through to reconstructing the fungal tree of life, with a special emphasis on evolution and ecology of
lifestyles and symbiotic interactions.
We have special expertise in lichens, mycorrhizal fungi and ant-farmed fungi, and use these as model groups to address broader questions related to determinants of diversity, community ecology and global change.
Senior research leader
Dr Ester Gaya
Research leaders
Dr Laura Martinez-Suz
Early career research fellows
Dr Raquel Pino-Bodas
Research assistants
Elena Arrigoni
Sophie Lane
Outreach officer
Rich Wright
Honorary research associates
Prof Martin I Bidartondo
Dr David Hawksworth
Dr Jill Kowal
PhD students
Ricardo Arraiano-Castilho
Rowena Hill
Theo Llewellyn
Discovering and disseminating the evolutionary history of all plant and fungal genera.
PAFTOLWith species under threat from climate change and human development, genetic data can help conserve global biodiversity for future generations.
DTOLThis project is designed to explore the diversity of the Kingdom Fungi in Boyacá, Colombia.
Boyacá’s Forgotten KingdomInvestigating fungal mycorrhizas and their plant hosts across elevational and latitudinal gradients in Alpine ecosystems.
Plant-fungal interactions in Alpine ecosystemsInvestigating whether one or more mycoviruses suppress sexual reproduction in the fungal crops of fungus-growing ants.
Symbiont policing and mutualism maintenance