Abstract
A new species of spikemoss from Yunnan Province of China, Selaginelladianzhongensis, is described and illustrated based on evidence from gross morphology, micromorphology and molecular phylogeny. S.dianzhongensis is most similar to S.amblyphylla in its habit of creeping stem, leaf size, and obviously dimorphic sporophylls, but is distinct by its ventral leaves ovate-oblong, subcordate at base, basiscopic base entire, axillary leaves ovate and decurrent at base. Molecular phylogeny analysis of three chloroplast gene regions (rbcL, atpI, psbA) shows that S.dianzhongensis forms an independent branch with strong support which is distantly related to S.amblyphlla and S.kurzii, but sister to S.bodinieri which is quite different in habitat of erect or ascending stem and rhizophores restricted to the lower part, and slightly dimorphic sporophyllus.
Highlights
The initial critical taxonomic revision of Chinese Selaginella was published by Alston (1934), who recognized 41 species from China
The new species resembles Selaginella amblyphylla in habit and gross morphology, but it is different in stems and branches reddish, ventral leaves ovate-oblong, 1.1–2.2 × 0.4–0.8 mm, base subcordate, basiscopic margin not ciliolate; dorsal leaves oblique subcordate or cordate at base, Figure 1
The shape and margin of ventral and dorsal leaves of Selaginella dianzhongensis is most similar to S. amblyphylla
Summary
The initial critical taxonomic revision of Chinese Selaginella was published by Alston (1934), who recognized 41 species from China. In the Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae and Flora of China (Zhang 2004, Zhang et al 2013) the numbers of recognized species increased to 64 and 72, respectively. Morphology characters show it is similar to S. amblyphylla Alston, but phylogenetic analysis based on three chloroplast gene regions show it is close to S. bodinieri Hieron. Both molecular and morphology data support the taxon as a new species, which is described and illustrated here
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