| Salpichlaena is a distinctive fern genus characterised by 2-pinnate climbing fronds with indeterminate growth. The number of species in the genus has been a matter of debate. Taxonomic studies are made difficult by within-frond variability in pinna morphology and size, and by herbarium material being incomplete. We systematically documented 62 morphological traits in 283 herbarium specimens and sequenced 52 Salpichlaena and 11 outgroup specimens. DNA sequences included plastid genes (rbcL, rpoC1 and rps4), intergenic spacers (rps4-trnS, trnHpsbA and trnG-trnR) and a nuclear gene (pgiC). Phylogenetic analyses based on the plastid markers divided the samples into six major clades. We recognise the three deepest clades as distinct species (S. hookeriana, S.... |
