Ericoid mycorrhiza

Epacris pulchella, an ericoid mycorrhizal epacrid from eastern Australia.
Western Azalea, Rhododendron occidentale, a western North American ericoid mycorrhizal species.

The ericoid mycorrhiza is a mutualistic relationship formed between members of the plant family Ericaceae and several lineages of mycorrhizal fungi. This symbiosis represents an important adaptation to acidic and nutrient poor soils that species in the Ericaceae typically inhabit,[1] including boreal forests, bogs, and heathlands. Molecular clock estimates suggest that the symbiosis originated approximately 140 million years ago.[2]

  1. ^ Cairney, J. W. G. and A. A. Meharg. 2003. Ericoid mycorrhiza: a partnership that exploits harsh edaphic conditions. European Journal of Soil Science 54: 735–740. doi:10.1046/j.1351-0754.2003.0555.x.
  2. ^ Cullings, K. W. 1996. Single phylogenetic origin of ericoid mycorrhizae within the Ericaceae. Canadian Journal of Botany 74: 1896-1909.