Diversity of endophytic fungi associated with Carapichea ipecacuanha from a native fragment of the Atlantic Rain Forest.

• We focused on the diversity of endophytic fungi of carapichea ipecacuanha. • One hundred and seventy-six fungal isolates were recovered identified as 28 taxa. • Colletotrichum was the dominant genus. Colletotrichum gigasporum and colletotrichum sp. 1 were the most dominant taxa. • The findings indicate that tropical plants are a rich reservoir of fungal diversity. We focused on the taxonomy and diversity of endophytic fungi associated with the threatened medicinal plant Carapichea ipecacuanha , present in a native fragment of the Atlantic Rain Forest in Brazil. One hundred and seventy-six fungal isolates were recovered from leaf, stem, and root tissues of C. ipecacuanha. The isolates comprised 28 taxa of Colletotrichum, Ceratobasidium, Fusarium, Trichoderma, Diaporthe, Pochonia, Calonectria , and Xylaria. Colletotrichum was the dominant genus. Colletotrichum gigasporum and Colletotrichum sp. 1 were the most dominant taxa, which occurred systematically in all plant tissues. In contrast, Calonectria lateralis, Fusarium delphinoides, Xylaria sp., and Diaporthe spp. occurred as singlets. We detected a rich and diverse endophytic fungal community in the different tissues of C. ipecacuanha dominated by genera recognised as phytopathogens and decomposers. The findings indicate that tropical plants are a rich reservoir of fungal diversity, which is also threatened by the devastation of the natural tropical rainforest environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]