The fern genus Adenoderris (family incertae sedis) is artificial

Abstract

For over a century the relationships of the rare fern genus Adenoderris J. Sm. have been confused. Here, we (1) present a molecular analysis of the genus based on multiple chloroplast markers with the goal of placing its species phylogenetically, (2) provide insights into its morphology and complex taxonomy, and (3) make relevant nomenclatural changes. In seeking a resolution of the problems with Adenoderris, we investigated the morphological, historical, ecological, and biogeographical factors that have made Adenoderris so difficult to place with certainty. The key findings are that (1) Adenoderris comprises two species that were included in the genus on the basis of convergent and symplesiomorphic morphological features, and (2) though the two species both lie in the Dryopteridaceae, they belong to different genera. The correct names for these two species are Polystichum glandulosum C. Presl and Dryopteris sororia (Maxon) M. McHenry, Sundue & Barrington, comb. nov.

The evolutionary history of ferns inferred from 25 low‐copy nuclear genes

“…Over the past two decades, molecular phylogenetic approaches have fundamentally altered our understanding of the evolution of ferns. These paradigm‐altering results include the phylogenetic position of Equisetales and Psilotales within the ferns (Nickrent et al, 2000; Pryer et al, 2001), robust support for ferns as the sister group of seed plants (and thus phylogenetically distant from the lycophyte “fern allies”; Duff and Nickrent, 1999; Nickrent et al, 2000; Pryer et al, 2001), the recent origin of most extant fern diversity (Schneider et al, 2004b; Schuettpelz and Pryer, 2009), novel understanding of the deep relationships within ferns (Hasebe et al, 1994; Wolf et al, 1994; Pryer et al, 2004; Schuettpelz et al, 2006; Schuettpelz and Pryer, 2007; Rai and Graham, 2010; Kuo et al, 2011), and increased resolution at shallower phylogenetic depths (e.g., Wolf et al, 1999; Des Marais et al, 2003; Wang et al, 2003; Ranker et al, 2004; Schneider et al, 2004a; Korall et al, 2006b; Ebihara et al, 2007; Janssen et al, 2008; Metzgar et al, 2008; Murdock, 2008; Vasco et al, 2009; Windham et al, 2009; Sundue et al, 2010; Sigel et al, 2011; Li et al, 2012; Williams and Waller, 2012; Lóriga et al, 2014; McHenry et al, 2013; Grusz et al, 2014; Labiak et al, 2014; Moran et al, 2014; Perrie et al, 2014). These results continue to be synthesized into an emerging consensus on fern phylogeny and classification (Smith et al, 2006; Schuettpelz and Pryer, 2008; Smith et al, 2008; Christenhusz et al, 2011; Rothfels et al, 2012b) that differs greatly from premolecular hypotheses (e.g., Ching, 1940; Mickel, 1974; Smith, 1995; Stevenson and Loconte, 1996).…”

The first fossil of a bolbitidoid fern belongs to the early‐divergent lineages of Elaphoglossum (Dryopteridaceae)

“…The Dryopteridaceae provide an outstanding example to explore the impact of newly discovered fossils on our understanding of fern diversification as outlined in molecular clock‐based studies (Schneider et al, 2004; Schuettpelz and Pryer, 2009; Sessa et al, 2012; Liu et al, 2014). With about 1700 species in some 36 genera, the family is one of the most species‐rich among derived ferns (Smith et al, 2006; Liu et al, 2007; Moran et al, 2010a, b; Christenhusz et al, 2011; McHenry et al, 2013). Phylogenetic studies reported two core lineages of Dryopteridaceae (Schuettpelz and Pryer, 2007; Lehtonen, 2011; Liu et al, 2014).…”