Diverisity of fungi across continets

[richard szydlo]

Dear all,

I live in London UK and am amateur mycologist of the culinary variety. Through work and play, I 
have had an oppportunity to travel to North America and recently South Africa. I was truly 
amazed to find in Cape Town many similar fungi to those I see in Britain (namely: Field 
mushrooms, Boletus edulis, Death cap, Shaggy Ink cap etc.). Many of these are also found in N. 
America. 

Given the diversity of animals, birds and plants that are found in these different continents, 
and that many are unique to their own continent, why are the same fungi so widespread? I quess 
it may be that they stopped evolving a long time ago and merely remained in places where 
conditions suited them. But why so widespread? Spores are light and will travel I suppose! I'm 
very curious as to the proper answer!

Thanks for any replies,

Richard Szydlo