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Issue: Vol. 767 No. 3: 23 Jul. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-07-23
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.767.3.4
Page range: 245-254
Abstract views: 35
PDF downloaded: 3

Vandenboschia lofoushanensis, a new synonym of V. kalamocarpa (Hymenophyllaceae)

Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Plant Conservation and Utilization in Southern China; South China Botanical Garden; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Guangzhou 510650; China; University of Chinese Academy of Science; Beijing 100049; China
Guangdong Xinfeng Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.; Huizhou 516100; China
Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Plant Conservation and Utilization in Southern China; South China Botanical Garden; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Guangzhou 510650; China
Pteridophytes China filmy fern morphology plastid phylogeny taxonomy

Abstract

Vandenboschia lofoushanensis has been a dubious species since it was first described from Guangdong, southern China, in 1959, due to the lack of additional material beyond its type specimens. This species was recently rediscovered at its type locality and a nearby site. Our field observations, morphological comparisons, and phylogenetic analyses of plastid sequences demonstrate that V. lofoushanensis is conspecific with V. kalamocarpa, a species widely distributed in East Asia. Accordingly, V. lofoushanensis is formally treated as a synonym of V. kalamocarpa in this study. This case study indicates that the flatness or crispation of the laminae should be used cautiously as a character for species delimitation within Vandenboschia and other filmy ferns.

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How to Cite

Huang, J.-K., Zeng, Y.-B. & Dong, S.-Y. (2026) Vandenboschia lofoushanensis, a new synonym of V. kalamocarpa (Hymenophyllaceae). Phytotaxa 767 (3): 245–254. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.767.3.4