%A JIANG Dai-Feng-, ZHAO Lu-, GUO Hong-, WANG Hai-Ying %T New Lineages of Elaphocordyceps Harboring in Lichen Thalli %0 Journal Article %D 2015 %J Plant Diversity %R 10.7677/ynzwyj201515045 %P 746-750 %V 37 %N 06 %U {https://journal.kib.ac.cn/CN/abstract/article_33465.shtml} %8 2015-11-25 %X

All species of Elaphocordyceps parasitize the fungal genus Elaphomyces, except for three species growing on scarabid beetle larvae or cicada nymphs. During our study on the diversity of culturable endolichenic fungi, some Elaphocordyceps species are found widely harboring in lichen thalli. A total of 64 fungal strains belonging to Elaphocordyceps were isolated from 42 lichen samples respectively collected from 5 provinces of China and the Antarctic. Phylogenetic analysis based on ITS nrDNA shows that these endolichenic fungi are possibly heterospecific. The endophytic fungi of plant often provide benefits to their hosts. However, the endolichenic fungi may be parasites or nutrient competitors of the mycobiont, because they have to obtain nutrient components from mycobionts or photobionts. Our study partly proves this hypothesis, since most known species of Elaphocordyceps are parasites of fungi.