Intact leaves as substrate for fungi: distribution of endophytes and phylloplane fungi in rattan palms

摘要

Leaves of twelve species of Calamus from southern India were screened simultaneously for the presence of phylloplane and endophytic fungi. Sampling of 2400 leaf segments yielded 824 endophyte isolates belonging to 34 species. Thirty species of phylloplane fungi were recorded. Several fungal species were found to be shared as endophytes by different hosts. However, the overlap between endophyte assemblage and phylloplane fungi of each host was low, suggesting that these two distinct groups of fungi occupy different niches, thereby avoiding competition.