Microbial endophyte diversity in Louisiana lycophytes Justyn T. Koenig (presenting) Sarah Mathews Department of Biological Sciences Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA, USA jkoeni9@lsu.edu sarahmathews@lsu.edu Little is known about the microbial endophytes that inhabit the tissues of lycophytes, particularly of the tropical lycophytes such as Phlegmarius. With multiple growth habits (epiphytic, lithophytic, terrestrial), and the ability to grow in nutrient-poor environments, identification of the microbial endophytes within Phlegmariurus is key to understanding adaptations that have enabled species to colonize different substrates and evolve various morphologies (pendulant, erect, sprawling, climbing). To optimize protocols for this work, I am conducting a pilot study using a common Louisiana native lycopod from the longleaf pine savannas, Lycopodiella alopecuroides (whose microbial endophytes have also never been characterized). Two co-occurring species that are prevalent in the longleaf pine savanna will be included in the pilot, the grass Dicanthelium scabriusculum and the moss Sphagnum sp.. In this talk I will present results on best protocols to characterize and identify fungal and bacterial endophytes of lycophytes and will share new data on microbial endophyte diversity on L. alopecuroides and two species with important roles in the pine flatwoods ecosystem of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast