Towards a monophyletic classification of Lejeuneaceae IV: reinstatement of Allorgella, transfer of Microlejeunea aphanella to Vitalianthus and refinements of the subtribal classification

• DOI: 10.1007/s00606-015-1252-8
• Publication Date: 2015-10-20T14:07:10Z
• Authors: Julia Bechteler; Gaik Ee Lee; Alfons Schäfer-Ve...; Tamás Pócs; Denilson F. Peralta; Matthew A. M. Renner; Harald Schneider; Jochen Heinrichs
• Keywords: Lejeuneaceae; Monophyly; NdhF; Marchantiophyta; Leafy; Tribe

The classification of Lejeuneeae, the most speciose tribe of the largely epiphytic leafy liverwort family Lejeuneaceae, is deemed notoriously difficult and hampered by extensive morphological homoplasy. We employed sequences of two chloroplast regions (trnL-trnF, rbcL) and the nuclear ribosomal ITS region of several critical taxa to explore their phylogenetic position. Based on our phylogenetic analyses and accompanying morphological investigations, we transfer Microlejeunea aphanella to Vitalianthus, reinstate the genus Allorgella, transfer Vitalianthus from Drepanolejeuneinae to Lepidolejeuneinae, identify Metalejeunea as another element of Lepidolejeuneinae, and place Allorgella and Haplolejeunea in Echinolejeuneinae. We map selected morphological characters on the reconstructed phylogenetic hypothesis to demonstrate the importance of subgynoecial innovations and ocelli for the circumscription of genera and subtribes of Lejeuneeae.