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High mycorrhizal specificity in a widespread mycoheterotrophic plant, Eulophia zollingeri (Orchidaceae)
Author(s) -
OguraTsujita Yuki,
Yukawa Tomohisa
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.3732/ajb.95.1.93
Subject(s) - biology , orchidaceae , herbarium , botany , mycorrhizal fungi , ecology , horticulture , inoculation
Because mycoheterotrophic plants fully depend on their mycorrhizal partner for their carbon supply, the major limiting factor for the geographic distribution of these plants may be the presence of their mycorrhizal partner. Although this factor may seem to be a disadvantage for increasing geographic distribution, widespread mycoheterotrophic species nonetheless exist. The mechanism causing the wide distribution of some mycoheterotrophic species is, however, seldom discussed. We identified the mycorrhizal partner of a widespread mycoheterotrophic orchid, Eulophia zollingeri , using 12 individuals from seven populations in Japan, Myanmar, and Taiwan by DNA‐based methods. All fungal ITS sequences from the roots closely related to those of Psathyrella candolleana (Coprinaceae) from GenBank accessions and herbarium specimens. These results indicate that E. zollingeri is exclusively associated with the P. candolleana species group. Further, the molecular data support the wide distribution and wide‐ranging habitat of this fungal partner. Our data provide evidence that a mycoheterotrophic plant can achieve a wide distribution, even though it has a high mycorrhizal specificity, if its fungal partner is widely distributed.