A phylogenetic and morphological study of the Tectaria fuscipes group (Tectariaceae), with description of a new species

Abstract

The fern species Tectaria fuscipes and morphologically similar species, which are common in tropical and subtropical mainland Asia, constitute a taxonomically confusing group. To better understand species boundaries and relationships within the T. fuscipes group, we conducted phylogenetic analyses of five plastid regions and morphological observations of herbarium specimens and living plants. As a result, we produced a generally well-resolved phylogeny of the T. fuscipes group and related species in Asia. The phylogenetic analyses supported the monophyly of the T. fuscipes group, which includes T. dissecta, T. fuscipes, T. ingens, T. paradoxa, T. setulosa, T. subfuscipes, T. subsageniacea and a new species, but excludes T. kusukusensis. However, T. fuscipes, T. subfuscipes and T. subsageniacea are almost indistinguishable in morphology, which form a complex characterised by the black linear-lanceolate stipe scales. The new species found in southern China and Vietnam is described here as T. fungii. It is similar to the T. fuscipes complex and T. kusukusensis, but differs from the former mainly by its brown-castaneous lanceolate stipe scales and from the latter by having nearly hairless laminae (versus frond axes abaxially bearing copious hairs).

Resurrection of Tectaria cadieri from T. ingens (Tectariaceae) Based on Morphological and Molecular Data

“…The MP analysis generated a very similar topology (not shown) in which a few clades remained unresolved, showing no major conflicts with the topology by the BI analysis. The phylogeny produced in this study is generally consistent with the result obtained by Dong et al (2022b). All accessions from mainland Asia except T. kusukusensis (Hayata) Lellinger were nested in Clade A and the accessions mainly from Malesia were resolved in Clade B (Fig.…”

“…Phylogenetic Analyses —The sample of T. cadieri used in our phylogenetic analyses was from herbarium specimen Wu et al WP-889 (KUN), which was collected in 2004 in Quang Binh, Vietnam (type locality of T. cadieri ) having the characteristic features of the type specimen. To test the position of T. cadieri , the matrix containing five plastid regions of 51 accessions used in Dong et al (2022b) was used in this study. We generated the five plastid sequences for T. cadieri including atpB , ndhF plus ndhF-trnN , rbcL , rps16-matK plus matK , and trnL-trnF .…”

“…As indicated by its morphological similarities with T. ingens , the position of T. cadieri is predicted to be within Clade III sensu Ding et al (2014) and Dong et al (2022a), one of four major clades of Tectaria identified by molecular analyses. Clade III was exclusively analyzed by Dong et al (2022b) using five plastid regions, which covers representatives of most species with free veins (only lacking T. hennipmanii (Tagawa & K.Iwats.) S.Y.Dong) in mainland Asia and adjacent islands.…”

“…S.Y.Dong) in mainland Asia and adjacent islands. The sequence data used in Dong et al (2022b) are used in this study to infer the position of the sample of T. cadieri .…”

Tectaria danangensis (Tectariaceae), a new fern species from Vietnam

“…and T. sulitii Copel. ( Dong et al, in press ). One of the analysed specimens, Chen et al SITW11094 (BSIP, IBSC, TNM), was used here to represent T. crenata .…”