Further evidence for the hybrid status of the Brazilian native fern Hypolepis ×paulistana (Dennstaedtiaceae)

Abstract

Hypolepis ×paulistana was described in 2016 as a putative hybrid, known from a single gathering. The hybrid status of these plants was based solely on the intermediate morphology of the sporophyte, when compared to its presumed parent species. These were thought to be H. stolonifera and H. rugosula, but, H. rigescens (Kunze) T. Moore could not be explicitly ruled out either. In the present work, we tested the hybrid status of Hypolepis ×paulistana adding palynological evidence and by using chloroplast sequences to unambiguously identify the maternal progenitor of the species. We fi nd that sporangia of Hypolepis ×paulistana contain both well-formed spores, as well as spores with morphological and developmental anomalies. The size of the regular spores and the abnormal spores suggest that H. ×paulistana is likely a diploid, and probably infertile hybrid. The ornamentation of the regular spores of H. ×paulistana is similar to that of H. stolonifera. The chloroplast sequences of H. ×paulistana are identical to those of H. stolonifera, as well as their sister position within the global phylogeny of the genus. Thus, we provide new evidence for the hybrid status of H. ×paulistana, and we corroborate the earlier fi nding that H. stolonifera is the maternal parent.

The exotic species Pteris ensiformis (Pteridaceae) in South America: an aproach to naturalization process

“…As part of a broader study, whose objective is to study the diversity of ferns and lycophytes in the Paranaense forest with emphasis on the protected areas of northeastern Argentina (Marquez et al 2016(Marquez et al , 2020Kelly et al 2019;Yañez et al 2022), Pteris ensiformis is recorded for the first time in the country, growing in the province of Misiones. In the present work the populations found are documented, the species is illustrated, and a key is provided to distinguish it from the Pteris species from Argentina.…”