Endophytes are micro-organisms living within the tissue of a plant as endosymbionts, without causing symptoms of disease. Some of them are mutualistic symbionts with beneficial effects on their host, such as improved growth or resistance against disease or environmental stress, and are being used as microbial inoculants. However, pathogens and saprophytes may also be endophytic at some point of their life cycle. Endophytes are distinct from mycorrhizal fungi or rhizosphere microbes in that they live entirely within the plant. Most endophytes known are bacteria or fungi, although there are also some endophytic algae and oomycetes.

This list contains genera with endophytic species (but which may also have non-endophytic species). Species are only listed in notable cases. Where specific variants or cultivars of a species are endophytic, this is detailed on the taxon's page. The host range is "wide" when it does not include only a specific lineage of plants; in that case, the lineage is given.

Bacteria

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See also Rhizobia for the nitrogen-fixing bacteria on roots of legumes (Fabaceae).

Genus/species Phylum Class Order Host range Roots/shoots colonized?
Acidovorax facilis Proteobacteria Betaproteobacteria Burkholderiales ? ?
Bradyrhizobium Proteobacteria Alphaproteobacteria Rhizobiales legumes roots
Rhizobium Proteobacteria Alphaproteobacteria Rhizobiales legumes roots
Rhodococcus rhodochrous Actinobacteria Actinobacteria Actinomycetales ? ?
Rhodococcus rhodochrous Actinobacteria Actinobacteria Actinomycetales ? ?

Fungi

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Genus/species Phylum Class Order Host range Roots/shoots colonized?
Colletotrichum Ascomycota Sordariomycetes Glomerellales wide shoots & roots
Curvularia Ascomycota Dothideomycetes Pleosporales wide shoots & roots
Epichloë Ascomycota Sordariomycetes Hypocreales grasses shoots
Fusarium Ascomycota Sordariomycetes Hypocreales wide shoots & roots
Mycosphaerella Ascomycota Dothideomycetes Capnodiales ? ?
Neotyphodium Ascomycota Sordariomycetes Hypocreales grasses shoots
Piriformospora Basidiomycota Agaricomycetes Sebacinales wide roots
Cladosporium Ascomycota Dothideomycetes Capnodiales wide
Serendipita Basidiomycota Agaricomycetes Sebacinales wide roots

Algae and oomycetes

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Genus/species Phylum Class Order Host range Roots/shoots colonized?
Pythium oligandrum Heterokontophyta, Oomycota Pythiales wide roots

See also

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