Plant Diversity ›› 2022, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (03): 300-307.DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2021.10.002

• Short communication • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Ceratopteris chunii and Ceratopteris chingii (Pteridaceae), two new diploid species from China, based on morphological, cytological, and molecular data

Jun-Hao Yua,b, Rui Zhanga, Qiao-Ling Liub, Fa-Guo Wangd, Xun-Lin Yue, Xi-Ling Daib, Yong-Bo Liuf, Yue-Hong Yana,c   

  1. a Eastern China Conservation Centre for Wild Endangered Plant Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai 201602, China;
    b College of Life Science, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China;
    c Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Orchid Conservation and Utilization, National Orchid Conservation Center of China and the Orchid Conservation & Research Center of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518114, China;
    d Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China;
    e College of Forestry, Central South University of Forestry & Technology, Changsha, Hunan, 410004, China;
    f State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Regional Eco-process and Function Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
  • Received:2020-10-13 Revised:2021-10-16 Online:2022-05-25 Published:2022-06-21
  • Contact: Yong-Bo Liu,E-mail:liuyb@craes.org.cn;Yue-Hong Yan,E-mail:yhyan@sibs.ac.cn
  • Supported by:
    The research was funded by the Biodiversity Survey and Assessment Project of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China (2019HJ2096001006), the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Forestation and City Appearance (grant number G192421), the Biological Resource Programme CAS (ZSZY-001-8), the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA13020603) and the Basic Project of Ministry of Science and Technology of China under Grant (2015FY110200).

Abstract: Understanding how natural hybridization and polyploidizations originate in plants requires identifying potential diploid ancestors. However, cryptic plant species are widespread, particularly in Ceratopteris (Pteridaceae). Identifying Ceratopteris cryptic species with different polyploidy levels is a challenge because Ceratopteris spp. exhibit high degrees of phenotypic plasticity. Here, two new cryptic species of Ceratopteris, Ceratopteris chunii and Ceratopteris chingii, are described and illustrated. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that each of the new species form a well-supported clade. C.?chunii and C.?chingii are similar to Ceratopteris gaudichaudii var. vulgaris and C. pteridoides, respectively, but distinct from their relatives in the stipe, basal pinna of the sterile leaf or subelliptic shape of the fertile leaf, as well as the spore surface. In addition, chromosome studies indicate that C.?chunii and C.?chingii are both diploid. These findings will help us further understand the origin of Ceratopteris polyploids in Asia.

Key words: Ceratopteris, Phylogeny, Chromosome, Taxonomy, Cryptic species