Abstract
Bacteria have an endosymbiotic association with plants. Previous studies have identified endophytic
bacteria and their importance in biocontrol and drug development. However, most medicinal plants
identified have not been assayed for bacterial endophytes. In this study, we characterised and identified
bacterial endophytes from surface-sterilised leaves of Pellaea calomelanos, a common fern in the
Limpopo and Gauteng Provinces, South Africa. Using morphological data and 16S rRNA gene sequencing,
we differentiated and identified six putative endophytic bacteria, with Pantoea as the dominant genus; the
other two identified bacteria belong to genera Arthrobacter and Bacillus. Data from this study are an
addition to the previously less studied phylloplane bacteria. This study is a pilot in cataloguing bacterial
endophytes from Pellaea calomelanos.