ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI OF MANILKARA-BIDENTATA LEAVES IN PUERTO-RICO

Endophytic fungi were isolated from healthy leaves of Manilkara bident ata (Sapotaceae) collected in Puerto Rico. One leaf was collected from each of three trees. Four 5 X 20 mm panels were cut from each leaf, s urface sterilized, cut into 50 1 X 2 mm pieces, and plated on malt aga r. Petioles were cut into ten 1 mm segments. Fungi were isolated from 90%-95% of the leaf pieces and all of the petiole segments. Xylaria sp p. were found in 73%-74% of the leaf pieces in two of the three leaves , but only 21% in the third leaf. Xylaria cf. multiplex, X. cf. adscen dens, a member of the X. mellisii/X. arbuscula complex, and 20 other f ungal species were isolated. Nineteen of the 22 species on leaf blades were found on at least two of the three leaves, but half of the 12 sp ecies in petioles were unique to one leaf. The 22 species islolated fr om leaf blades fit a lognormal distribution. An estimated three to six species were not discovered, indicating that the 22 species found on leaf blades represented 79%-88% of the endophytic community.