The fungal communities within six stems each of matai (Prumnopitys taxifolia (D. Don) Laubenf.) and rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum Lamb.) were studied nearly four years after windthrow in a dense podocarp forest in the central North Island. There was a significant decrease in yield of isolates of all fungi, as well as basidiomycetes in particular, with increasing radial depth beneath the cambium (P < 0.01). The decrease was greater for matai than for rimu (P < 0.01). Fewer isolates of either group were obtained from heartwood (0q5% of attempts) than from sapwood and rimu transition wood (13-43%; P < 0.01). Among the basidiomycetes, 85% of isolates belonged to eight species or generic groups, six of which varied significantly in occurrence between trees (P < 0.05). The condition of the root systems in uprooted trees of four species (matai; rimu; miro, Prumnopitys ferruginea (D. Don) Laubenf.; tawa, Beilschmiedia tawa (A. Cunn.) Benth. et Hook. f. ex Kirk) was evaluated in the same forest. On matai and rimu trees, a greater mean percentage of emergent roots was decayed at the centre of the exposed surface of the root-soil plate than around the margin (P < 0.05). Matai and rimu roots were significantly more decayed in this exposed central zone than were those of miro and tawa (P < 0.05). Rigidoporus catervatus (Berkeley) Comer was shown to be responsible for a white pocket rot in the heartwood and roots of living trees, and sapwood of fallen logs.