{"id":4248,"date":"2025-11-06T22:06:35","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T04:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/?p=4248"},"modified":"2025-11-06T22:06:35","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T04:06:35","slug":"fungi-inside-the-cacti-in-arizona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/fungi-inside-the-cacti-in-arizona\/","title":{"rendered":"Fungi Inside the Cacti in Arizona"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Photograph = Fungal Cultures, David Midgley)<\/p>\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n

Fungi associate with nearly all plants. They colonize roots and live on the surfaces of stems and leaves, and they can even grow inside plants. Fungi that live inside plants are called endophytes (endo = inside). Because host plants often grow normally, these fungi generally cause little harm and may even help the plant.<\/p>\n

The Details<\/h3>\n

Scientists examined 21 cactus species in Arizona for endophytes. The study included multiple species of Opuntia<\/em>, Cylindropuntia<\/em>, Echinocereus<\/em>, and Mammillaria<\/em>, and also a Consolea<\/em> species and Carnegiea gigantea<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Up to seven fungal species were found inside Cylindropuntia fulgida<\/em>\u2014high for cacti but low compared to many tropical plants. In rainy tropical regions, a single plant may host 20 or more endophyte species.<\/p>\n

The fungi included:<\/p>\n