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Issue: Vol. 468 No. 1: 23 October 2020
Type: Article
Published: 2020-10-23
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.468.1.7
Page range: 112–120
Abstract views: 37
PDF downloaded: 1

Leptochilus gracilis (Polypodiaceae), a new fern species from southeastern Yunnan, China based on morphological and molecular evidence

Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 416, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.
Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.
Yunnan Jinping Fenshuiling National Nature Reserve, Honghe, Yunnan 661500, China.
Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110, U.S.A.
Fern phylogeny Jinping county The Leptochilus ellipticus complex Yunnan Pteridophytes

Abstract

A new fern species, Leptochilus gracilis, is described and illustrated from southeastern Yunnan, China. Leptochilus gracilis is most similar to L. ellipticus. Compared with L. ellipticus, L. gracilis has a smaller habit with fronds less than 20 cm long, laminae with only one or two pairs of lobes, and midrib of lobes at angles of 45–60 degree with rachis. In contrast, L. ellipticus has a larger habit with fronds more than 30 cm long, laminae with (3–)4–9 pairs of lobes, and midrib of lobes at angles ca. 80–90 degree with rachis. A phylogenetic analysis based on four plastid markers confirmed the recognition of the new species and resulted in an isolated subclade of L. ellipticus clade.