noun
- A plant or organism that lives inside another plant, especially a fungus or alga living within plant tissues.
Usage: botanical/biological term; also spelled endophyte in modern usage
Examples
- The entophyte fungus colonized the leaf tissue without causing visible disease symptoms.
- Some entophytes form symbiotic relationships with their host plants.
- Researchers studied the entophyte community within the plant's vascular system.
- Certain entophytes produce compounds that help protect the host plant from pests.