Abstract
Oil bodies are the unique feature of most liverworts. Their shape, color and distribution pattern in leaf and underleaf cells are important taxonomic features of the genus Calypogeia. Most species of the genus Calypogeia have pellucid and colorless oil bodies, whereas colored, including gray to pale brown, purple-brown or blue oil bodies, are rare. To date, C. azurea was the only species with blue oil bodies to have been considered as a species of the Holarctic range. This species has been noted in various parts of the northern hemisphere–from North America, through Europe to the Far East. The aim of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of C. azurea from different parts of its distribution range and to ascertain whether blue oil bodies appeared once or several times in the evolution of the genus Calypogeia. The phylogenetic analyses based on four plastid regions (rbcL, trnG, trnL, trnH-psbA) and one nuclear region (ITS2) revealed that C. azurea is presently a paraphyletic taxon, with other Calypogeia species nested among C. azurea accessions that were clustered into four different clades. Based on the level of genetic divergence (1.03–2.17%) and the observed morphological, ecological and geographical differences, the evaluated clades could be regarded as previously unrecognized species. Four species were identified: C. azurea Stotler & Crotz (a European species corresponding to the holotype), two new species from Pacific Asia—C. orientalis Buczkowska & Bakalin and C. sinensis Bakalin & Buczkowska, and a North American species which, due to the lack of identifiable morphological features, must be regarded as the cryptic species of C. azurea with a provisional name of C. azurea species NA.
Highlights
The genus Calypogeia (Raddi) comprises around 90 described species of leafy liverworts of the suborder Jungermanniineae [1, 2]
The DNA sequence analysis broadened the concept of the Calypogeia azurea complex
The observed level of genetic divergence and the morphological, ecological and geographical differences indicate that these clades can be regarded as previously unrecognized species
Summary
The genus Calypogeia (Raddi) comprises around 90 described species of leafy liverworts of the suborder Jungermanniineae [1, 2]. Intracellular organelles surrounded by a single unit membrane, are a unique feature of most liverworts [3]. Academy of Science and Technology and the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences no. 12-04-91150) and Chinese Foundation for Natural Sciences. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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