Mycorrhizal and endophytes fungi of epacrids (ericaceae)

Although research to date has been confined to a small number of epacrid taxa from a limited range of habitats, it appears that most endophytes that have been isolated from epacrid hair roots are probably ericoidmycorrhizal fungi. An array of mainly Helotiales ascomycetes forms putative ericoid mycorrhizal associations with epacrids, but root systems of individual plants in the field are dominated by a small number of taxa, and populations of these dominated by single genotypes. Studies of mycorrhizal fungal diversity in natural habitats are at an early stage and in the future will need to take into account the spatial distribution of mycelial individuals if meaningful comparisons of communities in different habitats are to be made. Functional aspects of the symbiotic relationships between putative ericoidmycorrhizal fungi and their epacrid hosts remain to be investigated, however it is likely that these will follow the established paradigm for ericoid mycorrhizal associations of northern hemisphere Ericaecae