Polypodiophyta): a Global Assessment of Traits Associated with Invasiveness and Their Distribution and Status in South Africa

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Polypodiophyta): a Global Assessment of Traits Associated with Invasiveness and Their Distribution and Status in South Africa Terrestrial alien ferns (Polypodiophyta): A global assessment of traits associated with invasiveness and their distribution and status in South Africa By Emily Joy Jones Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in the Faculty of Science at the Nelson Mandela University April 2019 Supervisor: Dr Tineke Kraaij Co-Supervisor: Dr Desika Moodley Declaration I, Emily Joy Jones (216016479), hereby indicate that the dissertation for Master of Science in the Faculty of Science is my own work and that it has not previously been submitted for assessment or completion of any postgraduate qualification to another University or for another qualification. _______________________ 2019-03-11 Emily Joy Jones DATE Official use: In accordance with Rule G4.6.3, 4.6.3 A treatise/dissertation/thesis must be accompanied by a written declaration on the part of the candidate to the effect that it is his/her own work and that it has not previously been submitted for assessment to another University or for another qualification. However, material from publications by the candidate may be embodied in a treatise/dissertation/thesis. i Table of Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................ iii List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ v List of Figures .......................................................................................................................... vi List of Supplementary Material ........................................................................................... vii Thesis Structure, Research Publications and Conference Contributions ...................... viii CHAPTER 1: General Introduction ...................................................................................... 1 Invasion Biology ................................................................................................................................ 1 Invasiveness, Invasibility and Pathways of Introduction ................................................................ 2 Alien Species Inventories, Risk Analysis and Management ............................................................ 3 Ferns as Invaders .............................................................................................................................. 6 Ferns in South Africa ...................................................................................................................... 8 Thesis Objectives ............................................................................................................................. 10 References ........................................................................................................................................ 11 CHAPTER 2: A Global Assessment of Terrestrial Alien Ferns (Polypodiophyta): Species' Traits as Drivers of Naturalisation and Invasion ................................................. 17 Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ 17 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Methods ............................................................................................................................................ 21 Inventory, Geographic Distribution and Family Representation ................................................. 21 Analysis of Traits Influencing Invasiveness .................................................................................. 22 Results .............................................................................................................................................. 25 Inventory, Geographic Distribution and Family Representation ................................................. 25 Traits Influencing Invasiveness ..................................................................................................... 27 Discussion ........................................................................................................................................ 30 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 33 Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................... 34 References ........................................................................................................................................ 35 Supplementary Materials ............................................................................................................... 40 CHAPTER 3: Terrestrial Alien Ferns (Polypodiophyta) in South Africa: Distribution, Abundance and Habitat Associations .................................................................................. 49 Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ 49 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 50 Methods ............................................................................................................................................ 53 ii Study Area ..................................................................................................................................... 53 Species Distribution Database ...................................................................................................... 53 Field Surveys ................................................................................................................................. 54 Abundance and Distribution ......................................................................................................... 55 Invasion status and Prominence ................................................................................................... 56 Habitat Traits Analysis ................................................................................................................. 56 Results .............................................................................................................................................. 57 Abundance and Distribution ......................................................................................................... 57 Prominence ................................................................................................................................... 61 Habitat Associations ..................................................................................................................... 61 Discussion ........................................................................................................................................ 64 Management Implications ............................................................................................................. 67 Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... 69 References ........................................................................................................................................ 71 Supplementary Materials ............................................................................................................... 76 CHAPTER 4: Synthesis and Conclusions.......................................................................... 103 Summary of Major Findings ........................................................................................................ 103 Implications for Management ...................................................................................................... 105 Study Limitations .......................................................................................................................... 107 Study Contributions and Recommendations for Future Research .......................................... 107 References ...................................................................................................................................... 111 iii Abstract Globally, invasive alien plants (IAPs) are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, ecosystems and ecosystem services. The threats posed by IAPs have prompted inventory compilations and screening exercises which aim to understand why some taxa become invasive and others do not. Ferns are a diverse taxon that appear to have a high invasive potential, however ferns have been vastly understudied in the field of invasion biology. This study aimed to establish a basic understanding of terrestrial alien true ferns (Polypodiophyta, hereafter ‘alien ferns’) at both global and national (South African) scales. We developed a global inventory of alien ferns comprising 157 species using published literature and online inventories. Our global inventory indicated that there are significantly more alien fern species than previously estimated (60 species). We used generalised linear models with binomial response
Recommended publications
  • Summer/Fall 2012
    Wildland Weeds SUMMER/SUMMER/FALLFALL 2012 Call for Abstracts We invite abstract submissions for contributed oral or poster presentations at the 2013 FLEPPC/SE-EPPC Joint Annual Symposium. This year’s theme is Plant Wars: The EPPC’s Strike Back. The meeting will be held Tuesday, May 21st through Thursday, May 23nd at the Edgewater Beach Resort in Panama City Beach, Florida. Deadline for Abstract Submissions: February 15, 2013 Program Topics: Submissions Student Poster Competition: All student posters are welcome for any area presented at the annual meeting are eligible for of invasive plant species consideration. Posters may have multiple authors, but investigation, including but not the first author must be a graduate student. A team limited to: composed of representatives from each SE-EPPC chapter will judge student posters, based on scientific • Ecology merit, design, and poster discussion with judges. • Economics Awards: • Management 1st place: $150; 2nd place: $100; 3rd place: $50. • Restoration To participate, send an email indicating interest • Risk Assessment by 5 pm January 31st, 2013, to Dr. Nancy Loewenstein, [email protected] • Policy and Regulation Please include SE-EPPC Student Poster Award in • Evolutionary Biology the subject line. • Interdisciplinary Projects SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT ONLINE! www.fleppc.org/Symposium/2013/abstractsubmission.html Abstracts must include the following information: • Title of the proposed paper or poster • Full name and professional title of the author(s), affiliation, mailing address, phone number(s), and email address • If there are multiple authors, please provide the above information for each. • Text of the abstract (limit of 400 words) If web access is not available, please submit abstracts to: Sherry Williams, Seminole County Natural Lands Program, 3485 N.
    [Show full text]
  • <I> Salpichlaena</I>
    Blumea 64, 2019: 1–22 www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea RESEARCH ARTICLE https://doi.org/10.3767/blumea.2018.64.01.01 Taxonomy and evolutionary history of the neotropical fern genus Salpichlaena (Blechnaceae) G.G. Cárdenas1,*, S. Lehtonen2, H. Tuomisto1 Key words Abstract Salpichlaena is a distinctive fern genus characterised by 2-pinnate climbing fronds with indeterminate growth. The number of species in the genus has been a matter of debate. Taxonomic studies are made difficult by ferns within-frond variability in pinna morphology and size, and by herbarium material being incomplete. We systematically hybrid documented 62 morphological traits in 283 herbarium specimens and sequenced 52 Salpichlaena and 11 outgroup Neotropics specimens. DNA sequences included plastid genes (rbcL, rpoC1 and rps4), intergenic spacers (rps4-trnS, trnH- phylogeny psbA and trnG-trnR) and a nuclear gene (pgiC). Phylogenetic analyses based on the plastid markers divided the Salpichlaena samples into six major clades. We recognise the three deepest clades as distinct species (S. hookeriana, S. papyrus systematics sp. nov. and S. volubilis), and each of the four shallower clades as a subspecies of S. volubilis. Furthermore, we taxonomy suggest that a group of specimens, placed into different clades in the plastid and nuclear trees and showing mixed morphological characters, represent a fourth species of hybrid origin (S. hybrida sp. nov.). The most important di- agnostic characters are: degree of lamina reduction in fertile pinnules; pinna/pinnule apex incisions, pinna/pinnule margin thickness and lamina texture in sterile pinna/pinnules; presence or absence of foliar buds; shape of scales; and the appearance of the abaxial surface of the lamina (uniform or with stomata on small white protuberances).
    [Show full text]
  • CAPITAL DISTRICT GROWING TRENDS Volume 19, Issue 9
    CAPITAL DISTRICT GROWING TRENDS Volume 19, Issue 9 Lily Calderwood to join CAAHP Team The Capital Area Agriculture and Horticulture Program is pleased to announce that Lily Calderwood will join the team as Senior Commercial Horticulture Educator on January 19, 2016. Lily recently received her PhD in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Vermont, where she studied integrated pest management (IPM) tools for hop production in the northeast. She is currently an IPM Specialist working as a member of the UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Team. Lily has strived to develop sustainable and practical IPM practices for locally produced hops, dry beans, wheat, and barley. Lily comes to CAAHP with an ecology background, a passion for sustainable agriculture and an interest in growers’ needs. She is excited to learn about the commercial horticulture industries in the Capital Area, to listen to grower challenges, and to work collaboratively to develop a research and outreach program. In This Issue: Lily Calderwood Joins the CAAHP Team! Capital District Bedding Plant Nurserymen's Education Day Topping Trees Is Not Proper Pruning Overwintering Plants In The Landscape Fabulous Ferns! Topping Trees Is Not Proper Pruning - Chuck Schmitt Think before you top your tree... Homeowners often feel that their trees have become too large and now pose a hazard to their house or other structures, so they have their trees topped, believing this will not only reduce the tree's size but that it will also decrease potential hazards. What they do not realize is that though they now have a smaller tree, it is probably a greater hazard than before it was cut.
    [Show full text]
  • Spring Australian Plants Society Armidale & District Group
    APS Armidale 2015_3 Spring Australian Plants Society Armidale & District Group PO Box 735 Armidale NSW 2350 Crowea exalata ssp magnifolia image by Maria Hitchcock Web: http://www.aps-armidale.org.au e-mail: [email protected] Spring Edition 2015 - 3 In this issue: Office bearers for 2015 ...p.2 President’s Message ...p.3 From little things, big things grow ...p.3 Garden Visits Report: Saturday 23 May …p.4 National Correa Collection Web Site ...p.5 Soltice Event Report: Sunday 21 June …p.6 Spring in Autumn and Winter ...p.6 Possum Magic in Armidale …p.7 A tale of “Pinky” and Others ...p.8 Mole Station Weekend ...p.9 A Pleasant Horticultural surprise ...p.10 Frost Likelihood Audit ...p.11 Photo: Leptospermum spectabile from the Mulquiney Garden (not in situ) photo C. Mulquiney. Frost Likelihood Audit Form ...p.14 Contact Us: Armidale & District Group PO Box 735, Armidale NSW 2350 President: Phil Rose Ph. 6775 3767 [email protected] Secretary: Helen Schwarz Ph. 6772 1584 [email protected] Treasurer: Carole Fullalove [email protected] From the newsletter editor: Dear members, this is your newsletter and all articles, snippets and photos are welcome. The issue deadlines are 2 weeks before the Business Meeting. Articles will be included based on a FIRST COME basis. Please send your articles, snippets etc to me. Page 1 APS Armidale 2015_3 Spring GROUP INFORMATION The Armidale and District Group of APS--NSW started on 6th August, 1977 as the New England Group of the Society for Growing Australian Plants. It has been running continuously since that time with a couple of name changes.
    [Show full text]
  • During 1965-66
    KyotoKyotoUniversity University Enumeration of Thai pteridophytes collected during 1965-66 by Motozi TAGAwA and Kunio IwATsuKI From November 1965 to February 1966, the Center for Southeast Asian Studies sent a botanical party to Thailand and the first Thai-Japanese Botanical Expedition was begun in cooperation with the Royal Forest Department in Bangkok. During a sojourn of more than one hundred days, we observed and collected a comprehensive number of fern species as well as flowering plants and mosses. Here is given an enumeration of all pteridophytes collected on this trip. In this paper, however, only a list of the specific identifications of the collections has been made. In the course of the investigation of the fern flora of Thailand, we met with a good many facts new to science. This information will be forthcoming in other publications. The field work of the Expedition was accomplished by the following four Japanese botanists and a Thai entomologist, who accompanied the Japanese group from beginning to end: Motozi TAGAwA, the leader, on pteridophytes and general botany Kunio IwATsuKi, on pteridophytes Naofumi KiTAGAwA, on bryophytes Nobuyuki FuKuoKA, on flowering plants in general Dumrong CHAiGLoM, on entomology in relation te forestry. The itinerary of the Expedition was as follows (with the vascular plant col- lectors' names following the location) : 1966: Nov. 11, Bangkok: M. Tagawa & K. Iwatsuki. Nov. 13. Bangkhen, north of Bangkok: K. Iwatsuki. Nov. 14. Rangsit and Bangkhen, north of Bangkok : M. Tagawa & K. Iwatsuki. Nov. 26. Pha Nuk Khao, Loey: M. Tagawa, K. Iwatsuki & N. Fukuoka. Nov. 27-30. Phu Kradung, Loey: M.
    [Show full text]
  • Review of Selected Literature and Epiphyte Classification
    --------- -- ---------· 4 CHAPTER 1 REVIEW OF SELECTED LITERATURE AND EPIPHYTE CLASSIFICATION 1.1 Review of Selected, Relevant Literature (p. 5) Several important aspects of epiphyte biology and ecology that are not investigated as part of this work, are reviewed, particularly those published on more. recently. 1.2 Epiphyte Classification and Terminology (p.11) is reviewed and the system used here is outlined and defined. A glossary of terms, as used here, is given. 5 1.1 Review of Selected, Relevant Li.terature Since the main works of Schimper were published (1884, 1888, 1898), particularly Die Epiphytische Vegetation Amerikas (1888), many workers have written on many aspects of epiphyte biology and ecology. Most of these will not be reviewed here because they are not directly relevant to the present study or have been effectively reviewed by others. A few papers that are keys to the earlier literature will be mentioned but most of the review will deal with topics that have not been reviewed separately within the chapters of this project where relevant (i.e. epiphyte classification and terminology, aspects of epiphyte synecology and CAM in the epiphyt~s). Reviewed here are some special problems of epiphytes, particularly water and mineral availability, uptake and cycling, general nutritional strategies and matters related to these. Also, all Australian works of any substance on vascular epiphytes are briefly discussed. some key earlier papers include that of Pessin (1925), an autecology of an epiphytic fern, which investigated a number of factors specifically related to epiphytism; he also reviewed more than 20 papers written from the early 1880 1 s onwards.
    [Show full text]
  • Assessment of Diversity of Pteridophytes Along Some Hill Roads in a Biodiversity Hot Spot Region of India – a Case Study of Mizoram
    ISSN: 2350-0328 International Journal of AdvancedResearch in Science, Engineering and Technology Vol. 5, Issue 9 , September 2018 Assessment of Diversity of Pteridophytes along Some Hill Roads in a Biodiversity Hot Spot Region of India – A Case Study of Mizoram Samar. Kr.Banerjee,MousumiBanerjee , Anjani.Kr. Srivastava Department of Botany, Ranchi University, Ranchi and Principal Consultant (Environment) STUP India1 Department of Botany,Faculty of Post Graduate Studies, Scottish Church College, Kolkata 2 Department of Botany, Ranchi University, Ranchi 3 ABSTRACT: Mizoram state of India isone of the biodiversity hotspots of the world, the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot of South Asia. Panoramic view of its roadside flora reveals that it is replete with rich diversity of Pteridophytes.This is due to unique location of Mizoram, its topography with hills and valleys, and also its geology which provide immense ranges of microclimatic conditions which facilitates its growth. These pteridophytes are one of the source of carbon sink along the road. Some work related to pteridophytes have been reported by some researchers in some protected areas like sanctuaries and some forests in Mizoram. Till date no work has been reported on the diversity, ecology and IUCN red list status of pteridophytes growing along the Hill Roads in Mizoram. The paper enlists he current diversity, habitat and ecology of such pteridophytes. Effort has been made to ascertain their status in the IUCN red list and in Catalogue of Life (COL).The study is likely to help in further capacity augmentation/widening of these roads without harming the current diversity of the pteridophytes growing there .The study also provides a protocol to be followedfor monitoring and management of biodiversity along other roads of this hotspot.
    [Show full text]
  • The Fern Family Blechnaceae: Old and New
    ANDRÉ LUÍS DE GASPER THE FERN FAMILY BLECHNACEAE: OLD AND NEW GENERA RE-EVALUATED, USING MOLECULAR DATA Tese apresentada ao Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal do Departamento de Botânica do Instituto de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, como requisito parcial à obtenção do título de Doutor em Biologia Vegetal. Área de Concentração Taxonomia vegetal BELO HORIZONTE – MG 2016 ANDRÉ LUÍS DE GASPER THE FERN FAMILY BLECHNACEAE: OLD AND NEW GENERA RE-EVALUATED, USING MOLECULAR DATA Tese apresentada ao Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal do Departamento de Botânica do Instituto de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, como requisito parcial à obtenção do título de Doutor em Biologia Vegetal. Área de Concentração Taxonomia Vegetal Orientador: Prof. Dr. Alexandre Salino Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Coorientador: Prof. Dr. Vinícius Antonio de Oliveira Dittrich Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora BELO HORIZONTE – MG 2016 Gasper, André Luís. 043 Thefern family blechnaceae : old and new genera re- evaluated, using molecular data [manuscrito] / André Luís Gasper. – 2016. 160 f. : il. ; 29,5 cm. Orientador: Alexandre Salino. Co-orientador: Vinícius Antonio de Oliveira Dittrich. Tese (doutorado) – Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Departamento de Botânica. 1. Filogenia - Teses. 2. Samambaia – Teses. 3. RbcL. 4. Rps4. 5. Trnl. 5. TrnF. 6. Biologia vegetal - Teses. I. Salino, Alexandre. II. Dittrich, Vinícius Antônio de Oliveira. III. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Departamento de Botânica. IV. Título. À Sabrina, meus pais e a vida, que não se contém! À Lucia Sevegnani, que não pode ver esta obra concluída, mas que sempre foi motivo de inspiração.
    [Show full text]
  • Hybrids in the Fern Genus Osmunda (Osmundaceae)
    Bull. Natl. Mus. Nat. Sci., Ser. B, 35(2), pp. 63–69, June 22, 2009 Hybrids in the Fern Genus Osmunda (Osmundaceae) Masahiro Kato Department of Botany, National Museum of Nature and Science, Amakubo 4–1–1, Tsukuba, 305–0005 Japan E-mail address: [email protected] Abstract Four described putative hybrids in genus Osmunda, O. intermedia from Japan, O. rug- gii from eastern U.S.A., O. nipponica from central Japan, and O. mildei from southern China, are enumerated with notes on their hybridity. It is suggested that Osmunda intermedia is an intrasub- generic hybrid (O. japonica of subgenus Osmunda ϫ O. lancea of subgenus Osmunda), O. ruggii is an intersubgeneric hybrid (O. regalis of subgenus Osmunda ϫ O. claytoniana of subgenus Clay- tosmunda), O. nipponica is an intersubgeneric hybrid (O. japonica ϫ O. claytoniana of subgenus Claytosmunda), and O. midlei is an intersubgeneric hybrid (O. japonica ϫ O. angustifolia or O. vachellii of subgenus Plenasium). Among the four, O. intermedia is the most widely distributed and can reproduce in culture, suggesting that it can reproduce to some extent in nature. Key words : Hybrid, Osmunda intermedia, Osmunda mildei, Osmunda nipponica, Osmunda rug- gii. three subgenera Claytosmunda, Osmunda, and Introduction Plenasium, genus Leptopteris, genus Todea, and The genus Osmunda has been classified in ei- genus Osmundastrum (see also Metzgar et al., ther the broad or narrow sense. In the previously 2008). most accepted and the most lumping classifica- Four putative hybrids are known in the genus tion, it was divided into three subgenera, Osmun- Osmunda s.l. in eastern U.S.A.
    [Show full text]
  • Infrageneric Revision of the Fern Genus Deparia (Athyriaceae, Aspleniineae, Polypodiales)
    Systematic Botany (2018), 43(3): pp. 645–655 © Copyright 2018 by the American Society of Plant Taxonomists DOI 10.1600/036364418X697364 Date of publication August 10, 2018 Infrageneric Revision of the Fern Genus Deparia (Athyriaceae, Aspleniineae, Polypodiales) Li-Yaung Kuo,1,7 Atsushi Ebihara,2 Tian-Chuan Hsu,3 Germinal Rouhan,4 Yao-Moan Huang,5 Chun-Neng Wang,1,6,8 Wen-Liang Chiou,3 and Masahiro Kato2 1Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan 2Department of Botany, National Museum of Nature and Science, Amakubo 4-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0005, Japan 3Botanical Garden Division, Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Taipei 10066, Taiwan 4Mus´eum national d’Histoire naturelle, Institut de Syst´ematique, Evolution, Biodiversit´e ((ISYEB) CNRS, Sorbonne Universit´e EPHE), Herbier national, 16 rue Buffon CP39, F-75005 Paris, France 5Silviculture Division, Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Taipei 10066, Taiwan 6Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan 7Current address: Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA ([email protected]) 8Author for correspondence ([email protected]) Communicating Editor: Sven Buerki Abstract—Current molecular phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly and circumscription of the athyrioid fern genus Deparia (Athyr- iaceae), which includes previously recognized genera including Athyriopsis, 3Depazium, Dictyodroma, Dryoathyrium (5 Parathyrium), Lunathyrium, and Neotriblemma (5 Triblemma Ching), and 3Neotribleparia. This broad generic concept has been adopted in several recent taxonomic treatments, including the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group I. However, the infrageneric taxonomy of Deparia still needs further revision. In this study, we provide a new infrageneric classification with five sections and three subsections based on the phylogenetic evidence.
    [Show full text]
  • Indusia in North-East Indian Adiantum
    Pleione 11(2): 241 - 248. 2017. ISSN: 0973-9467 © East Himalayan Society for Spermatophyte Taxonomy doi:10.26679/Pleione.11.2.2017.241-248 Observations on indusia in Adiantum L. (Pteridaceae : Vittarioideae) of North-East India S. D. Yumkham1, P. K. Singh1 and S. D. Khomdram2 1Ethnobotany & Plant Physiology Laboratory, Centre of Advance Studies in Life Sciences, Manipur University, Canchipur - 795 003, Manipur, India 2Corresponding author: Department of Botany, Mizoram University, Aizawl-796004, Mizoram, India E-mail: [email protected] [Received 09.10.2017; Revised 29.11.2017; Accepted 07.12.2017; Published 31.12.2017] Abstract The present paper highlights the indusial character in eight (8) species of Adiantum L. (Pteridaceae- Vittarioideae) found in North East India. These include A. capillus-veneris L., A. caudatum L., A. edgeworthii Hook., A. flabellulatum L., A. incisum Forssk., A. peruvianum Klotzsch, A. philippense L. and A. raddianum C. Presl. Data on the morphology of indusia, spore size and exine ornamentation are studied in order to assess their systematic significance. A key to species based on indusial characters is also incorporated. Key words: Adiantum, North East India, Morphology, Indusia, Exine ornamentation INTRODUCTION The Maiden-hair ferns, Adiantum L. (Pteridaceae: Vittarioideae) are well known and popular as ornamentals for their beauty with graceful and attractive evergreen fronds. The genus is represented by 200 species distributed in tropical and sub-tropical to temperate regions (Prado et al. 2007). They usually grow in moisture rich areas with low intensity of sunlight. Sometimes, they are seen growing as base epiphyte on moss-humus laden trees like Ficus benghalensis L., Mimusops elengi L., Phoenix sylvestris (L.) Roxb., Kigelia pinnata (Jacq.) DC.
    [Show full text]
  • A Molecular Phylogeny with Morphological Implications and Infrageneric Taxonomy
    TAXON 62 (3) • June 2013: 441–457 Wei & al. • Phylogeny and classification of Diplazium SYSTEMATICS AND PHYLOGENY Toward a new circumscription of the twinsorus-fern genus Diplazium (Athyriaceae): A molecular phylogeny with morphological implications and infrageneric taxonomy Ran Wei,1,2 Harald Schneider1,3 & Xian-Chun Zhang1 1 State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, P.R. China 2 University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China 3 Department of Botany, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, U.K. Author for correspondence: Xian-Chun Zhang, [email protected] Abstract Diplazium and allied segregates (Allantodia, Callipteris, Monomelangium) represent highly diverse genera belong- ing to the lady-fern family Athyriaceae. Because of the morphological diversity and lack of molecular phylogenetic analyses of this group of ferns, generic circumscription and infrageneric relationships within it are poorly understood. In the present study, the phylogenetic relationships of these genera were investigated using a comprehensive taxonomic sampling including 89 species representing all formerly accepted segregates. For each species, we sampled over 6000 DNA nucleotides of up to seven plastid genomic regions: atpA, atpB, matK, rbcL, rps4, rps4-trnS IGS, and trnL intron plus trnL-trnF IGS. Phylogenetic analyses including maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods congruently resolved Allantodia, Cal- lipteris and Monomelangium nested within Diplazium; therefore a large genus concept of Diplazium is accepted to keep this group of ferns monophyletic and to avoid paraphyletic or polyphyletic taxa. Four well-supported clades and eight robust sub- clades were found in the phylogenetic topology.
    [Show full text]