Co-occurrence of three fungal root symbionts in Gaultheria poeppiggi DC in Central Argentina

• Published in: Mycorrhiza Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 89 - 92
• Main Author: Urcelay, Carlos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer-Verlag 01.04.2002; Springer
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Argentina; Biological and medical sciences; developmental stages; endophytes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; fungal anatomy; fungi; Gaultheria; Gaultheria - microbiology; Gaultheria - physiology; Gaultheria poeppiggi; hyphae; Microbial ecology; microbiology; Microflora of plants; Mycorrhizae; Mycorrhizae - physiology; mycorrhizal fungi; Parasitism and symbiosis; physiology; Plant physiology and development; Plant Roots; Plant Roots - microbiology; Plant Roots - physiology; roots; symbionts; Symbiosis; Symbiosis - physiology; vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae; Argentina; South America; America; Symbiosis; Symbionte; Symbiotic relation; Root; Occurrence frequency; Biological evolution; Host specificity; Medicinal plant; Fungi; Ericoid mycorrhiza; Endomycorrhiza; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Hypha; Mycorrhiza; Endophyte; Spermatophyta; Associated microflora; Ericaceae; Colonization; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0940-6360; 1432-1890
• DOI: 10.1007/s00572-001-0146-5

The roots of Gaultheria poeppiggi (Ericaceae) were examined for fungal symbiont colonization. Typical structures of ericoid mycorrhizas (hyphae and intracellular coil hyphae complexes), dark septate fungal endophytes (hyphae and sclerotia), and arbuscular mycorrhizas (hyphae, coils, vesicles and arbuscules) were found in the roots of all the individuals examined. The evolutionarily derived position of Gaultheria within the Ericales may suggest that G. poeppiggi recently acquired the ability to form arbuscular mycorrhizas rather than having retained it from ancestral lines.