Endophyte

An organism which lives inside the tissues of another, growing between plant cells; being the leaves and stems of plants, not roots. This might be for all its life, or for just part of its lifecycle. Typically, this is a bacterium or fungus. Endophytes often live in a mutually beneficial (that is symbiotic) relationship with a host plant. There is no external mycelium (unlike Mycorrhizae) to interconnect the endophyte with the outside environment. There are numerous examples of endophyte-infected turfgrass cultivars of Perennial Ryegrass and Tall Fescue. The claimed benefits of endophyte-infected turfgrass cultivars includes improving drought tolerance and speedier recovery from wear, as well as other benefits.