Abstract
Polypodiaceae is one of the most diverse and abundant families of ferns in tropical and subtropical forests. Despite multiple studies investigating its phylogeny and taxonomy, several generic boundaries within the family still need clarification. One of the most problematic circumscriptions is that of Polypodium L., and one species that still contributes to this uncertainty is Polypodium chrysolepis Hook. The main goal of this study was to use molecular and morphological data to clarify the relationships of P. chrysolepis inside the polygrammoid clade. Sequences from three plastid regions (cpDNA – rbcL, rps4 and rps4–trnS IGS) from fifty species belonging to thirty-two genera of Polypodiaceae were analyzed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Polypodium chrysolepis constitutes an isolated lineage among the neotropical polygrammoid ferns, close to Serpocaulon and the grammitids, and is recognized here in a new genus. It can be distinguished by its entire leaves with free veins and peltate, pedicellate, lanceolate paraphyses. A new combination, Adetogramma chrysolepis, is proposed and a new taxonomic treatment is presented; its conservation status was assessed using IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.
Highlights
Polypodiaceae is one of the richest fern families, and one of the most diverse and abundant groups of vascular plants in tropical and subtropical forests (Schneider et al 2004)
The placement of Polypodium chrysolepis as an isolated lineage inside neotropical Polypodiaceae and closely related to Serpocaulon and the grammitid ferns (1.00 posterior probabilities (PP), 97% BS) confirms results previously found by Schneider et al (2004); this species is not part of the campyloneuroid clade, containing Microgramma, nor does it belong to the polypodioid clade, containing Polypodium s.s. and Pleopeltis
Serpocaulon, a group segregated from Polypodium (Smith et al 2006a), appears as sister to P. chrysolepis (0.97 PP, 88% BS), supporting the results of Schneider et al (2004)
Summary
Polypodiaceae is one of the richest fern families, and one of the most diverse and abundant groups of vascular plants in tropical and subtropical forests (Schneider et al 2004). The current family circumscription (PPG I 2016) is based on many phylogenetic studies (e.g., Schneider et al 2004, Schuettpelz and Pryer 2007). With this definition, Polypodiaceae includes the large segregate family, Grammitidaceae (sensu Parris 1990), and comprises 65 genera (PPG I 2016). In its latest circumscription (PPG I 2016), the genus is considered presumably monophyletic, but the groups that remain in it [Polypodium dulce group, Polypodium plesiosorum group, and Polypodium colpodes group (Tejero-Díez 2005, Sigel et al 2014)], still need to be comprehensively included in phylogenetic studies
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