Journal article
Molecular phylogenetics and generic taxonomy of Blechnaceae ferns
Leon R Perrie, Ruby K Wilson, Lara D Shepherd, Daniel J Ohlsen, Erin L Batty, Patrick J Brownsey, Michael J Bayly
Taxon | International Association for Plant Taxonomy | Published : 2014
DOI: 10.12705/634.13
Abstract
The fern family Blechnaceae is cosmopolitan; however, the vast majority of species are placed in Blechnum, which occurs predominantly in the Southern Hemisphere. There are two areas that are particularly species–rich: the south–west Pacific (including Australasia), and Central and South America. Using chloroplast DNA sequences, we report the first comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the Blechnaceae, including all genera widely recognised in recent treatments, and over half of the species. There is strong support for several major clades, which we characterise morphologically and geographically, and some of their interrelationships. Blechnum is confirmed as polyphyletic. Blechnum indicum a..
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Funding Acknowledgements
This research was primarily funded through a Bush Blitz grant from Australian Biological Resources Study, with support also from the School of Botany Foundation at The University of Melbourne and core funding for Crown Research Institutes from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's Science and Innovation Group. We acknowledge Raymond Cranfill and Y. Nakahira for submitting data from their unpublished theses to GenBank; Department of Conservation (New Zealand), the former Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland), New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales), the former Department of Sustainability and Environment (Victoria), Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (Tasmania), and Department of Natural Resources, the Arts and Sport (Northern Territory) for collecting permits; Will Neal, Adele Neale, Alison Kellow, and Ashley Field for assistance with Australian fieldwork; and Matt von Konrat (F) for leading field trips to Fiji and New Caledonia, which were supported by SUVA, NOU, and Louis Thouvenot, with funding from Conservation International, Warwick Foundation, National Science Foundation, Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, and Negaunee Foundation.