Abstract Detail

Pteridology

Testo, Weston [1], Field, Ashley [2], Sessa, Emily [3], Sundue, Michael A [4].

Phylogenetic and morphological analyses support the resurrection of Dendroconche and the recognition of two new genera in Polypodiaceae subfamily Microsoroideae.

The taxonomy of the Polypodiaceae subfamily Microsoroideae is highly problematic, especially with respect to the circumscription of the highly variable and non-monophyletic genus Microsorum. Using phylogenetic analyses and morphological evidence, we demonstrate that sixteen taxa typically treated in the genera Microsorum and Colysis are not closely related to those groups and instead belong to three clades that are successive sister groups to the Old-World ant-fern genus, Lecanopteris. Each of these clades are well-supported as monophyletic and possess numerous morphological synapomorphies that enable them to be readily recognized. We resurrect the name Dendroconche for one of these clades and propose two new genera to accommodate taxa in the remaining groups in order to resolve this long-standing taxonomic problem without disrupting the traditional circumscription of Lecanopteris. We discuss these newly recognized groups in the context of generic circumscription in the microsoroid ferns and explore patterns of morphological evolution in this highly specialized clade.

1 - University of Florida, Department of Biology, 527 Bartram Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32601
2 - School Of Marine And Tropical Biology, Douglas Queensland 4811, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia
3 - University Of Florida, Biology, Box 118525, Gainesville, FL, 32611, United States
4 - The Pringle Herbarium, 111 Jeffords Hall, 63 Carrigan Dr., Burlington, VT, 05405, United States

Keywords:
fern
taxonomy
genus
morphology
epiphyte
paleotropics.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: PTER1, Pteridology I
Location: San Pedro 1/Starr Pass
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2019
Time: 10:45 AM
Number: PTER1011
Abstract ID:403
Candidate for Awards:None