Genetic variation and phylogeography of the Australian and New Zealand fern Asplenium flabellifolium (Aspleniaceae)

Abstract

Asplenium flabellifolium Cav. is a cytologically variable Australian and New Zealand fern. Here, we sequence chloroplast trnL-TrnF and rps4-TrnS from samples throughout its range to provide the first phylogeographic investigation of a fern common in both countries. Twenty-Three haplotypes were detected, which formed six haplogroups in a network. Australian specimens were placed in all haplogroups. The placement of New Zealand haplotypes in five of the haplogroups suggests that this species has dispersed across the Tasman Sea at least five times. Sexually reproducing plants of lower ploidy, detected only in south-eastern Australia, contained haplotypes from the two haplogroups that are succes..