Journal of Plant Research - <Virtual Issue No. 3>

Ecology and evolution of pteridophytes in the era of molecular genetics

Edited by Joel H. Nitta and Atsushi Ebihara

Photo credit © Atsushi Ebihara

The past quarter­century has witnessed a revolution in our understanding of the phylogenetics, systematics, and ecology of pteridophytes (ferns and lycophytes), particularly due to the rapid accumulation of plastid sequence data and a renewed interest in the ecology of the sexual phase of the life cycle. We here compile 19 papers recently published in the Journal of Plant Research dealing with the biology of pteridophytes, grouped into six categories: (1) breeding systems, (2) species complexes and polyploidization, (3) fossil taxa, (4) gametophyte ecology, (5) systematics, (6) biodiversity. We hope this collection of papers will be of value to researchers interested in this fascinating group of plants.

Table of contents

Editorial - Free access!

• Nitta JH, Ebihara A (2019 (this opens in a new tab)) Ecology and evolution of pteridophytes in the era of molecular genetics. Journal of Plant Research

(1) Breeding systems:

• Yatabe­ Y, Tsutsumi C, Hirayama Y, Mori K, Murakami N, Kato M (2009 (this opens in a new tab)) Genetic population structure of Osmunda japonica, rheophilous Osmunda lancea and their hybrids. Journal of Plant Research 122:585-595
• Yatabe-­Kakugawa Y, Tsutsumi C, Hirayama Y, Tsuneki S, Murakami N, Kato M (2013 (this opens in a new tab)) Transmission ratio distortion of molecular markers in a doubled haploid population originated from a natural hybrid between Osmunda japonica and O. lancea. Journal of Plant Research 126:469–82
• Ootsuki R, Sato H, Nakato N, Murakami N (2012 (this opens in a new tab)) Evidence of genetic segregation in the apogamous fern species Cyrtomium fortunei (Dryopteridaceae). J Plant Res 125:605–612
• Nakato N, Ootsuki R, Murakami N, Masuyama S (2012 (this opens in a new tab)) Two types of partial fertility in a diploid population of the fern Thelypteris decursive­pinnata (Thelypteridaceae). Journal of Plant Research 125:465–74

(2) Species complexes and polyploidization  

Photo credit © Atsushi Ebihara

• Chang Y, Ebihara A, Lu S, Liu H, Schneider H (2018 (this opens in a new tab)) Integrated taxonomy of the Asplenium normale complex (Aspleniaceae) in China and adjacent areas. Journal of Plant Research 131:573–587
• Fujiwara T, Serizawa S, Watano Y (2018 (this opens in a new tab)) Phylogenetic analysis reveals the origins of tetraploid and hexaploid species in the Japanese Lepisorus thunbergianus (Polypodiaceae) complex. Journal of Plant Research 131:945–959
• Hori K, Tono A, Fujimoto K, Kato J, Ebihara A, Watano Y, Murakami N (2014 (this opens in a new tab)) Reticulate evolution in the apogamous Dryopteris varia complex (Dryopteridaceae, subg. Erythrovariae, sect. Variae) and its related sexual species in Japan. Journal of Plant Research 127:661-684
• Ebihara A, Matsumoto S, Kato M (2012 (this opens in a new tab)) Origin of Dryopteris shibipedis (Dryopteridaceae), a fern species extinct in the wild. Journal of Plant Research 125:499–505

(3) Fossil taxa

• Naugolnykh SV, Wang L, Han M, Jin JH (2016 (this opens in a new tab)) A new find of the fossil Cyclosorus from the Eocene of South China and its paleoclimatic implication. Journal of Plant Research 129:3–12
• Tian N, Wang YD, Philippe M, Zhang W, Jiang ZK, Li LQ (2014 (this opens in a new tab)) A specialized new species of Ashicaulis (Osmundaceae, Filicales) from the Jurassic of Liaoning, NE China. Journal of Plant Research 127:209–219
• Wang Y, Li L, Guignard G, Dilcher DL, Xie X, Tian N, Zhou N, Wang Y (2015 (this opens in a new tab)) Fertile structures with in situ spores of a dipterid fern from the Triassic in Southern China. Journal of Plant Research 128:445–457

(4) Gametophyte ecology

Photo credit © Atsushi Ebihara

• Kuo LY, Chen CW, Shinohara W, Ebihara A, Kudoh H, Sato H, Huang YM, Chiou WL (2017 (this opens in a new tab)) Not only in the temperate zone: independent gametophytes of two vittarioid ferns (Pteridaceae, Polypodiales) in East Asian subtropics. Journal of Plant Research 130:255-262
• Winther JL, Friedman WE (2009 (this opens in a new tab)) Phylogenetic affinity of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbionts in Psilotum nudum. Journal of Plant Research 122:485–496
• Ogura-Tsujita Y, Sakoda A, Ebihara A, Yukawa T, Imaichi R (2013 (this opens in a new tab)) Arbuscular mycorrhiza formation in cordate gametophytes of two ferns, Angiopteris lygodiifolia and Osmunda japonica. Journal of Plant Research 126:41-50
• Ogura-Tsujita Y, Yamamoto K, Ebihara A, Morita N, Imaichi R (2019 (this opens in a new tab)) Fern gametophytes of Angiopteris lygodiifolia and Osmunda japonica harbor diverse Mucoromycotina fungi. Journal of Plant Research 132:581–588

(5) Systematics

• Lu JM, Wen J, Lutz S, Wang YP, Li DZ (2012 (this opens in a new tab)) Phylogenetic relationships of Chinese Adiantum based on five plastid markers. Journal of Plant Research 125:237–249
• Chen CW, Rothfels CJ, Mustapeng AMA, Gubilil M, Karger DN, Kessler M, Huang YM (2018 (this opens in a new tab)) End of an enigma: Aenigmopteris belongs in Tectaria (Tectariaceae: Polypodiopsida). Journal of Plant Research 131:67–76

(6) Biodiversity

• Kessler M, Lehnert M (2009 (this opens in a new tab)) Do ridge habitats contribute to pteridophyte diversity in tropical montane forests? A case study from southeastern Ecuador. Journal of Plant Research 122:421–428
• Ebihara A, Nitta JH (2019 (this opens in a new tab)) An update and reassessment of fern and lycophyte diversity data in the Japanese archipelago. Journal of Plant Research. (Open access)