Fungal endophytes infect a large number of temperate grass species, genera and tribes (Leuchtmann and Clay, 1997). The majority of these systemic endophytes fall into the genus Epichloe or the closely related Neotyphodium genus.
The asexual Neotyphodium endophytes are asymptomatic, never emerge from between the host grass cells, and are only transmitted vertically, via seed of the host plant. They are believed to have derived from the Epichloe endophytes, (Bacon and White, 2000; Schardl and Wilkinson, 2000) which do emerge from their intercellular habitat and form stromata around the emerging seedhead of their host. This is manifested as the choke disease seen in many grass species. Thus reproduction in the Epichloe can be sexual and transmission can be horizontal or vertical or a mix of both
