Unity in diversity: phylogenetics and taxonomy of Rhabdoweisiaceae (Dicranales, Bryophyta)

Abstract

Molecular phylogenetic reconstructions of Rhabdoweisiaceae based on plastid (trnS-rps4 and trnL-F) and mitochondrial (nad5) DNA sequences and a comprehensive taxon sampling were performed, including 15 out of 16 genera currently attributed to the family, taxa recently found belonging to Rhabdoweisiaceae and expanded outgroups from related families of Dicranidae. The suggested revised delimitation of the family comprises Camptodontium (previously referred to Dicranaceae), three subaquatic species currently classified in Blindia (Seligeriaceae), and Glyphomitrium (previously referred to Ptychomitriaceae, Erpodiaceae or its own family) and Eucamptodon perichaetialis (the type species of the genus, previously referred to Dicnemonaceae). The emended delimitation of Rhabdoweisiaceae thus adds to the already high morphological heterogeneity resulting from the divergent evolution of specialized traits in different lineages of epiphytes and saxicolous hygrophytes. Taxonomic inferences from the phylogenetic analyses include segregation of three new genera, Pseudoblindia (for species currently recognized as Kiaeria falcata, Blindia robusta, B. lewinskyae and B. inundata), Ripariella (for Kiaeria riparia) and Brideliella (for Oncophorus wahlenbergii, O. demetrii and Symblepharis lindigii). Hollia is reinstated for the dicnemonoid Australasian species previously classified in Eucamptodon. Additionally, we propose to merge (1) Oreoweisia, Pocsiella and Pseudohyophila with Cynodontium, and (2) Kiaeria s.s. with Arctoa. Furthermore, we propose to limit Oncophorus to O. virens and O. integerrimus and expand the circumscription of Symblepharis to accommodate O. crispifolius, O. dendrophilus, O. elongatus and O. raui. The generic status and inclusion in Rhabdoweisiaceae are confirmed for Cnestrum and the recently described Notocynodontium, and the exclusion of Amphidium, Dichodontium, Holodontium and Hymenoloma from the family is supported.

Bryophytes of Dickson area, Western Taimyr – a model bryophyte flora for Asian arctic tundra

“…The specimen referred here to Arctoa hyperborea was sterile and its identification is based on DNA sequence data. Nuclear ITS as well as plastid markers rps4 and trnL and mitochondrial Nad5 from this specimen were nearly identical to specimens of A. hyperborea from Novaya Zemlya Archipelago (see Fedosov et al, 2020). Gametophyte morphology meets this species as well, therefore we refer our specimen to A. hyperborea.…”

The phylogeny of Syntrichia: An ecologically diverse clade of mosses with an origin in South America

“…Epiphytic lineages in Syntrichia are characterized as small plants with bulbiform leaf arrangement when dry (Figure 2), a short extension of the costa, presence of asexual propagules, and reduced size of basal cells similar to the majority of epiphytic pleurocarpous (Hedenäs, 2012b). In other unrelated mosses, this phenomenon has been called the epiphytism syndrome to characterize plants with a set of distinctive morphology (Fedosov et al, 2021). Mosses have also shown differentiation of perichaetial leaves (Tubanova et al, 2019) and/or distinct ornamentation of peristomes (Vanderpoorten et al, 2002; Hedenäs, 2012b), associated with a transition to epiphytic conditions (Fedosov et al, 2021).…”

“…In other unrelated mosses, this phenomenon has been called the epiphytism syndrome to characterize plants with a set of distinctive morphology (Fedosov et al, 2021). Mosses have also shown differentiation of perichaetial leaves (Tubanova et al, 2019) and/or distinct ornamentation of peristomes (Vanderpoorten et al, 2002; Hedenäs, 2012b), associated with a transition to epiphytic conditions (Fedosov et al, 2021). For instance, the uncommon fertile condition of S. papillosa and sect.…”

New Taxonomic Arrangement of Dicranella s.l. and Aongstroemia s.l. (Dicranidae, Bryophyta)

“…D. staphylina has a fairly typical dicranoid peristome with triangular, in basal and median part longitudinally striolate rather than filiform teeth, split to half of their length into unequal lobes, without a basal membrane ( Figure 2 ), which clearly fits the description of the dicranoid peristome type by [ 28 ]. This favors the idea of including this lineage in the delimitation of Dicranales, rather than establishing an isolated new order to accommodate it, suggesting that the dicranoid peristome is the plesiomorphic character state for the whole large lineage, from which the more derived peristomes in Grimmiales and Pottiaceae evolved (see also [ 9 ] for a discussion of the secondarily modified peristomes in, e.g., Glyphomitrium Brid. or Pseudoblindia Fedosov, M. Stech & Ignatov of Rhabdoweisiaceae).…”

“…Molecular phylogenetic studies of bryophytes [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ] have shown that the traditional morphology-based circumscriptions of genera are often biased by morphological convergence and in reality comprise a suite of phylogenetically unrelated lineages. This is especially the case for genera with reduced morphology, such as pioneer species with short life cycles, e.g., Entosthodon Schwägr.…”