| The myco-heterotrophic plant Pterospora andromedea (pinedrops) is common in the western United States, but rare in the East. An explanation for this regional rarity could be that its mycorrhizal symbiont is uncommon in the East. In the western United States several haplotypes of pinedrops exist. These haplotypes are specific to one of two common ectomycorrhizal fungi within the genus Rhizopogon subgenus Amylopogon , both associated with members of Pinaceae. In this study only one eastern pinedrops haplotype/fungal symbiont pair was detected. The plant haplotype was not unique. However, the fungal symbiont is an undescribed species in the subgenus Amylopogon and associates with Pinus strobus. This eastern Rhizopogon species is uncommon in the spore banks of eastern P. strobus forests. The rarity of eastern pinedrops is discussed in relation to the frequency of its fungal symbiont. An in situ pinedrops seed germination study and baseline habitat data for eastern pinedrops are presented. |
