Search

Microsatellites or SSRs are small tandem repeats that are 1–6 bp long. They are usually highly polymorphic and form important portions of genomes. They have been extensively analyzed in humans, animals and model plants; however, information from non-flowering plants is generally lacking. Here, we examined 29 samples of Ophioglossaceae ferns, mainly from the genera Botrychium and Sceptridium. We analyzed the SSR distribution, density and composition in almost 400 nuclear exons and their flanking regions. We detected 45 SSRs in exons and 1475 SSRs in the flanking regions. In the exons, only di-, tri- and tetranucleotides were found, and all of them were 12 bp long. The annotation of the exons containing SSRs showed that they were related to various processes, such as metabolism, catalysis, transportation or plant growth. The flanking regions contained SSRs from all categories, with the most numerous being dinucleotides, followed by tetranucleotides. More than one-third of all the SSRs in the flanking regions were 12 bp long. The SSR densities in the exons were very low, ranging from 0 to 0.07 SSRs/kb, while those in the flanking regions ranged from 0.24 to 0.81 SSRs/kb; and those in the combined dataset ranged from 0.2 to 0.81 SSRs/kb. The majority of the detected SSRs in the flanking regions were polymorphic and present at the same loci across two or more samples but differing in the number of repeats. The SSRs detected here may serve as a basis for further population genetic, phylogenetic or evolutionary genetic studies, as well as for further studies focusing on SSRs in the genomes and their roles in adaptation, evolution and diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous phylogenies showed conflicting relationships among the subfamilies and genera within the fern family Ophioglossaceae. However, their classification remains unsettled where contrasting classifications recognize four to 15 genera. Since these treatments are mostly based on phylogenetic evidence using limited, plastid-only loci, a phylogenomic understanding is actually necessary to provide conclusive insight into the systematics of the genera. In this study, we have therefore compiled datasets with the broadest sampling of Ophioglossaceae genera to date, including all fifteen currently recognized genera, especially for the first time the South African endemic genus Rhizoglossum. Notably, our comprehensive phylogenomic matrix is based on both plastome and mitogenome genes. Inferred from the coding sequences of 83 plastid and 37 mitochondrial genes, a strongly supported topology for these subfamilies is presented, and is established by analyses using different partitioning approaches and substitution models. At the generic level, most relationships are well resolved except for few within the subfamily Ophioglossoideae. With this new phylogenomic scheme, key morphological and genomic changes were further identified along this backbone. In addition, we confirmed numerous horizontally transferred (HGT) genes in the genera Botrypus, Helminthostachys, Mankyua, Sahashia, and Sceptridium. These HGT genes are most likely located in mitogenomes and are predominately donated from angiosperm Santalales or non-Ophioglossaceae ferns. By our in-depth searches of the organellar genomes, we also provided phylogenetic overviews for the plastid and mitochondrial MORFFO genes found in these Ophioglossaceae ferns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic analyses of the lanceolatum clade in the genus Botrychium supports description of a new diploid species, Botrychium rubellum. It differs genetically, morphologically, and geographically from B. lanceolatum, from which it is segregated, and B. angustisegmentum. Botrychium rubellum is differentiated by the red coloration of the common stalk, upswept basal pinnae, basiscopic pinnules much longer than acroscopic pinnules, spores larger than the spores of the other two species, and in genetic identities reflecting the percent of shared alleles. Botrychium rubellum is currently known to occur in western North America from the southern Rocky Mountains to Alaska, the Yukon Territory, and disjunctively to Greenland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I review the history of my work on moonwort ferns, genus Botrychium, beginning with my early discovery of biology as a profession and the importance of mentors and networks of professional researchers in the development of my interests in biology. I discuss my initial work on discovery of new species of Botrychium and the utilization of enzyme electrophoresis as an early methodology for establishing species' individual genetic characterization and their relationships among species, emphasizing the importance of codominant nuclear markers for detection of allopolyploid parentages. I review the unusual predominance of allopolyploidy in Botrychium and discuss possible reasons for this relative to breeding systems, and describe a new pathway for overcoming hybrid sterility without polyploidy. I discuss the inadequacy of wind as a universal dispersal mechanism in Botrychium, and suggest avian dispersal as an under-appreciated spore dispersal mechanism. Throughout I note unresolved issues of Botrychium biology and suggest areas of needed research. Lastly, I discuss the unique characteristics of Botrychium that have allowed this lineage to persist through universal ecological disruptions and massive extinctions and compete successfully in modern ecosystems, and the morphological similarities of its descendants to early land plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review updates the basic biology of moonwort ferns, genus Botrychium, (Ophioglossaceae). It is intended to provide background to readers of this issue and to alleviate the need for repeating this information by subsequent authors. At present, 38 species of Botrychium have been described, with occurrences worldwide in a diverse range of habitats, most commonly in meadows dominated by herbaceous perennial flowering plants that are the alternative host of the mycorrhizal fungi that support belowground growth of Botrychium. The genus produces small aboveground leaves that produce sporangia. Leaves of individual plants may remain dormant belowground in some years. Individual plants may live for decades. Spores germinate belowground and, following colonization by a mycorrhizal fungus, produce belowground bisexual gametophytes that have a high probability of intragametophytic selfing, commonly resulting in populations with low allelic variability. Because of their small size and reduced morphological complexity, Botrychium species have often been referred to as cryptic species. Though difficult to identify, genetic analysis has shown species distinction to be equal to that of non-cryptic species, and has allowed recognition of morphological characteristic of each taxon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PREMISE: The great variation of genome size (C-value) across land plants is linked to various adaptative features. Flow cytometry (FCM), the standard approach to estimating C-values, relies mostly on fresh materials, performing poorly when used with herbarium materials. No fern C-value reports have been derived from herbarium specimens; however, the herbarium spores of some ferns remain highly viable for decades and are thus promising for further investigation. To explore this possibility, we evaluated herbarium spore collections of Ophioglossaceae ferns using FCM. METHODS: Flow cytometry was conducted on 24 spore samples, representing eight of the 12 genera of the Ophioglossaceae, using specimens ranging in age from 2.6 to 111 years obtained from five herbaria. RESULTS: Regardless of the genus or the source herbarium, high-quality C-value data were generated from 17 samples, with the oldest being 26 years old. Estimates of the C-values from sporophytic tissues of known ploidy did not reveal any evidence of apomixis for the species surveyed here. We also detected a pronounced genome downsizing in Sceptridium polyploids. DISCUSSION: The recent success of FCM for C-value estimation using spores provides a much more convenient method of utilizing dry refrigerated materials. We demonstrate here that herbarium spores of some ferns are also promising for this use, even for older specimens.

Microsatellites or SSRs are small tandem repeats that are 1–6 bp long. They are usually highly polymorphic and form important portions of genomes. They have been extensively analyzed in humans, animals and model plants; however, information from non-flowering plants is generally lacking. Here, we examined 29 samples of Ophioglossaceae ferns, mainly from the genera Botrychium and Sceptridium. We analyzed the SSR distribution, density and composition in almost 400 nuclear exons and their flanking regions. We detected 45 SSRs in exons and 1475 SSRs in the flanking regions. In the exons, only di-, tri- and tetranucleotides were found, and all of them were 12 bp long. The annotation of the exons containing SSRs showed that they were related to various processes, such as metabolism, catalysis, transportation or plant growth. The flanking regions contained SSRs from all categories, with the most numerous being dinucleotides, followed by tetranucleotides. More than one-third of all the SSRs in the flanking regions were 12 bp long. The SSR densities in the exons were very low, ranging from 0 to 0.07 SSRs/kb, while those in the flanking regions ranged from 0.24 to 0.81 SSRs/kb; and those in the combined dataset ranged from 0.2 to 0.81 SSRs/kb. The majority of the detected SSRs in the flanking regions were polymorphic and present at the same loci across two or more samples but differing in the number of repeats. The SSRs detected here may serve as a basis for further population genetic, phylogenetic or evolutionary genetic studies, as well as for further studies focusing on SSRs in the genomes and their roles in adaptation, evolution and diseases.

In this paper, integrating field surveys and literature data, an analysis of Ophioglossum lusitanicum plant communities and related 92/43/EEC habitats are reported for Italy. Two new syntaxa, Euphorbio exiguae-Ophioglossetum lusitanici ass. nova hoc loco and trifolietosum scabri subass. nova hoc loco of the Rumici bucephalophori-Ophioglossetum lusitanici were described in the Apulia and Campania regions.Both types of vegetation identified in Apulia, Campania, and Sicily regions represent two different aspects of the same priority habitat: "pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals of the Thero-Brachypodietea" (habitat code 6220*). A phytosociological and ecological dataset of the literature and new field surveys highlighting the soil type as parameters affecting the vegetation cover of this small fernlike plant, with the Trachynion distachyae Rivas–Martínez, 1978 alliance on calcareous soils and Helianthemion guttati Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et al., 1940 alliance on volcanic soils. Many species of other types of annual meadows have been identified within Ophioglossum communities due to the very small patches of land, where they have been found, and ecological conditions that facilitate this phenomenon of the transgression of other therophytes species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

В статье сообщается о находке в ходе флористических работ на территории государственного природного заповедника «Кологривский лес» им. М. Г. Синицына (Костромская область) (ГПЗ «Кологривский лес») нового, аборигенного для флоры средней полосы Европейской России растения – Botrychium lanceolatum (S. G. Gmel.) Ångstr. (гроздовник ланцетовидный), который обнаружен при обследовании 60-летней вырубки. Сбор и определение выполнены автором статьи И. Г. Криницыным. Для Костромской области вид не указывается ни в одной флористической сводке по региону. Гербарные образцы надземной части спорофита хранятся в Гербарии Костромского государственного университета и ГПЗ «Кологривский лес», а также переданы в Гербарий Алтайского государственного университета (ALTB). B. lanceolatum – реликтовый вид лесной зоны Голарктики с фрагментарным ареалом преимущественно в субарктической, северной части умеренной и в горах теплоумеренной зон Евразии и Северной Америки. В России спорадически встречается в лесной зоне от Мурманской и Ленинградской областей до Камчатки и Сахалина включительно, в Арктику заходит на Чукотском полуострове. Вид редок на всей территории своего ареала, популяции представлены единичными особями. Включен во многие региональные Красные книги Российской Федерации. B. lanceolatum стал пятым видом семейства Botrychiaceae Nakai в птеридофлоре Костромской области (и средней полосы Европейской России в целом). В Костромской области вид находится на крайней южной границе ареала в средней полосе европейской части России. Популяция B. lanceolatum на момент находки была представлена 4 особями в различных онтогенетических состояниях. Приводятся данные о новом местонахождении и фитоценотических условиях произрастания вида, дано краткое морфологическое описание и сведения о динамике популяции.

Premise: Studies of fern and lycophyte gametophyte biology in natural settings can be challenging, but such analyses are critical to understanding the dispersal, ecology, and conservation of these species. It is especially challenging to study species whose gametophytes and early sporophyte stages develop belowground, as is the case for species of the Ophioglossaceae, Psilotaceae, some species of the Schizeaceae (Actinostachys), and some species of the Lycopodiaceae. To study these taxa, gametophytes and young sporophytes must be extracted from the soil. Methods: In 1989, Mason and Farrar described a methodology for accomplishing the collection of belowground gametophytes and sporophytes using soil centrifugation. Here, we refine this procedure based on subsequent years of experience. Results: We found that many more sporophytes exist belowground than are represented by aboveground leaves, and that belowground sporophytes can survive indefinitely without production of aboveground leaves. Belowground gametophytes are common in areas where spore‐releasing sporophyte leaves are present. Gametophytes are bisexual with male and female gametangia intermixed. Some species of Botrychium also reproduce asexually belowground through production of gemmae. Discussion: We conclude that in Botrychium, assessments of population health and structure must include analyses of the belowground plants and their habitat. Conservation management strategies must also include potential changes in the belowground habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Several ferns and lycophytes produce subterranean gametophytes, including the Ophioglossaceae, Psilotaceae, and some members of the Schizaeaceae, Gleicheniaceae, and Lycopodiaceae. Despite the surge in plant‐microbiome research, which has been particularly boosted by high‐throughput sequencing techniques, the microbiomes of these inconspicuous fern gametophytes have rarely been examined. The subterranean gametophytes are peculiar due to their achlorophyllous nature, which makes them rely on fungi to obtain nutrients. Furthermore, the factors that shape the fungal communities (mycobiomes) of fern gametophytes have not been examined in depth. Methods and Results: We present a workflow to study the mycobiome of the achlorophyllous gametophytes of Ophioderma pendulum using a high‐throughput metabarcoding approach. Simultaneously, each gametophyte was investigated microscopically to detect fungal structures. Two primer sets of the nuclear ITS sequence targeting general fungi were applied, in addition to a primer set that specifically targets the nuclear small subunit ribosomal rDNA region of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Both the microscopic and metabarcoding approaches revealed many diverse fungi inhabiting a single gametophyte of O. pendulum. Discussion: This study provides methodological details and discusses precautions for the mycobiome investigation of achlorophyllous gametophytes. This research is also the first to uncover the mycobiome assembly of an achlorophyllous gametophyte of an epiphytic fern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Premise Several ferns and lycophytes produce subterranean gametophytes, including the Ophioglossaceae, Psilotaceae, and some members of the Schizaeaceae, Gleicheniaceae, and Lycopodiaceae. Despite the surge in plant‐microbiome research, which has been particularly boosted by high‐throughput sequencing techniques, the microbiomes of these inconspicuous fern gametophytes have rarely been examined. The subterranean gametophytes are peculiar due to their achlorophyllous nature, which makes them rely on fungi to obtain nutrients. Furthermore, the factors that shape the fungal communities (mycobiomes) of fern gametophytes have not been examined in depth. Methods and Results We present a workflow to study the mycobiome of the achlorophyllous gametophytes of Ophioderma pendulum using a high‐throughput metabarcoding approach. Simultaneously, each gametophyte was investigated microscopically to detect fungal structures. Two primer sets of the nuclear ITS sequence targeting general fungi were applied, in addition to a primer set that specifically targets the nuclear small subunit ribosomal rDNA region of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Both the microscopic and metabarcoding approaches revealed many diverse fungi inhabiting a single gametophyte of O. pendulum. Discussion This study provides methodological details and discusses precautions for the mycobiome investigation of achlorophyllous gametophytes. This research is also the first to uncover the mycobiome assembly of an achlorophyllous gametophyte of an epiphytic fern.

Abstract Premise Studies of fern and lycophyte gametophyte biology in natural settings can be challenging, but such analyses are critical to understanding the dispersal, ecology, and conservation of these species. It is especially challenging to study species whose gametophytes and early sporophyte stages develop belowground, as is the case for species of the Ophioglossaceae, Psilotaceae, some species of the Schizeaceae (Actinostachys), and some species of the Lycopodiaceae. To study these taxa, gametophytes and young sporophytes must be extracted from the soil. Methods In 1989, Mason and Farrar described a methodology for accomplishing the collection of belowground gametophytes and sporophytes using soil centrifugation. Here, we refine this procedure based on subsequent years of experience. Results We found that many more sporophytes exist belowground than are represented by aboveground leaves, and that belowground sporophytes can survive indefinitely without production of aboveground leaves. Belowground gametophytes are common in areas where spore‐releasing sporophyte leaves are present. Gametophytes are bisexual with male and female gametangia intermixed. Some species of Botrychium also reproduce asexually belowground through production of gemmae. Discussion We conclude that in Botrychium, assessments of population health and structure must include analyses of the belowground plants and their habitat. Conservation management strategies must also include potential changes in the belowground habitat.

Ferns are the second most diverse group of land plants after angiosperms. Extant species occupy a wide range of habitats and contribute significantly to ecosystem functioning. Despite the importance of ferns, most taxa are poorly covered by genomic resources and within‐species studies based on high‐resolution markers are entirely lacking. The genus Botrychium belongs to the family Ophioglossaceae, which includes species with very large genomes and chromosome numbers (e.g., Ophioglossum reticulatum 2n = 1520). The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with 35 species, half of which are polyploids. Here, we establish a transcriptome for Botrychium lunaria (L.) Sw., a diploid species with an extremely large genome of about ~19.0–23.7 Gb. We assembled 25,677 high‐quality transcripts with an average length of 1,333 bp based on deep RNA‐sequencing of a single individual. We sequenced 11 additional transcriptomes of individuals from two populations in Switzerland, including the population of the reference individual. Based on read mapping to reference transcript sequences, we identified 374,463 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) segregating among individuals for an average density of 14 SNPs per kilobase. We found that all 12 transcriptomes were most likely from diploid individuals. The transcriptome‐wide markers provided unprecedented resolution of the population genetic structure, revealing substantial variation in heterozygosity among individuals. We also constructed a phylogenomic tree of 92 taxa representing all fern orders to ascertain the placement of the genus Botrychium. High‐quality transcriptomic resources and SNP sets constitute powerful population genomic resources to investigate the ecology, and evolution of fern populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new population of a regionally threatened species Ophioglossum vulgatum is reported. It is the southernmost record of the species within Zhytomyr Region and the only one in its forest-steppe part. The population is comprised of four parts with overall area of about 16 m2 and total number ca. 1000 specimens. A two-fold observation of the locality revealed fluctuation in number and density of specimens. The population is located within a settled area and is exposed to moderate anthropogenic pressure. Further monitoring is needed to detect population trend.

In this paper, integrating field surveys and literature data, an analysis of Ophioglossum lusitanicum plant communities and related 92/43/EEC habitats are reported for Italy. Two new syntaxa, Euphorbio exiguae-Ophioglossetum lusitanici ass. nova hoc loco and trifolietosum scabri subass. nova hoc loco of the Rumici bucephalophori-Ophioglossetum lusitanici were described in the Apulia and Campania regions.Both types of vegetation identified in Apulia, Campania, and Sicily regions represent two different aspects of the same priority habitat: “pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals of the Thero-Brachypodietea” (habitat code 6220*). A phytosociological and ecological dataset of the literature and new field surveys highlighting the soil type as parameters affecting the vegetation cover of this small fernlike plant, with the Trachynion distachyae Rivas–Martínez, 1978 alliance on calcareous soils and Helianthemion guttati Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et al., 1940 alliance on volcanic soils. Many species of other types of annual meadows have been identified within Ophioglossum communities due to the very small patches of land, where they have been found, and ecological conditions that facilitate this phenomenon of the transgression of other therophytes species.

Background: According to the data in Index Herbariorum as of 1 December 2020, there are 3426 active herbaria in the world, containing 396,204,891 specimens and 124 herbaria in Russia with more than 16,175,000 specimens. The Central Siberian Botanical Garden of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (CSBG SB RAS, Novosibirsk), founded in 1946, historically has two herbarium collections (NS and NSK). Currently these collections contain about 800,000 herbarium specimens comprising vascular plants, mosses, lichens and fungi gathered from all over the world. Digitisation of the NSK type specimens of vascular plants began in 2014 by using the special scanner Herbscan. In 2018, we started digitisation of the NS and NSK collections by using ObjectScan 1600. Pteridophytes (ferns, lycophytes and their extinct free-sporing relatives) are a diverse group of plants that today comprises approximately 12,900 species and plays a major role in terrestrial ecosystems. All herbarium specimens of ferns, collected over 170 years between 1851 and 2021 and stored in the NS and NSK collections, were digitised in 2021, placed at the CSBG SB RAS digital Herbarium (http://herb.csbg.nsc.ru:8081) and published through GBIF. Twenty families of Polypodiopsida, but not Equisetaceae, were included in this dataset. Family Ophioglossaceae was digitised and published in GBIF as a separate dataset. New information: By August 2021, more than 62,600 specimens with good quality images and fully-captured label transcriptions had been placed at CSBG SB RAS Digital Herbarium. A total of 7,758 records of fern occurrences of 363 taxa in the world with 92% geolocations including 5100 records from Russia with 98.7% geolocations that are new for GBIF.org in 2021 were entered. In the dataset specimens from 43 countries of Europe, Asia, America, Africa and Australia (Oceania), 89% of them from Russia, are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Premise The great variation of genome size (C‐value) across land plants is linked to various adaptative features. Flow cytometry (FCM), the standard approach to estimating C‐values, relies mostly on fresh materials, performing poorly when used with herbarium materials. No fern C‐value reports have been derived from herbarium specimens; however, the herbarium spores of some ferns remain highly viable for decades and are thus promising for further investigation. To explore this possibility, we evaluated herbarium spore collections of Ophioglossaceae ferns using FCM. Methods Flow cytometry was conducted on 24 spore samples, representing eight of the 12 genera of the Ophioglossaceae, using specimens ranging in age from 2.6 to 111 years obtained from five herbaria. Results Regardless of the genus or the source herbarium, high‐quality C‐value data were generated from 17 samples, with the oldest being 26 years old. Estimates of the C‐values from sporophytic tissues of known ploidy did not reveal any evidence of apomixis for the species surveyed here. We also detected a pronounced genome downsizing in Sceptridium polyploids. Discussion The recent success of FCM for C‐value estimation using spores provides a much more convenient method of utilizing “dry” refrigerated materials. We demonstrate here that herbarium spores of some ferns are also promising for this use, even for older specimens.

A new species of Ophioderma, O. subsessile, is described from Mindanao, Philippines. This species is characterized by its mostly longer trophophore than sporophore, sporophore peduncle subsessile with a distinct sterile appendage, and strobilus longer than the peduncle. A description, illustrations, and key to the species of Philippine Ophioderma are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Endophytic and mycorrhizal fungi are crucial in facilitating plant nutrition acquisition and stress tolerance. In epiphytic habitats, plants face nutrition and water stress, but their roots are mostly nonmycorrhizal and especially lacking in arbuscular mycorrhizal associations. Ophioderma pendulum is an epiphytic fern with a partially mycoheterotrophic lifestyle, likely heavily reliant on symbiotic fungi. To characterize fungal associations in the sporophyte of O. pendulum, we focused on leaves and roots of O. pendulum, seeking to reveal the fungal communities in these organs., Methods: Roots and leaves from O. pendulum in a subtropical forest were examined microscopically to observe the morphology of fungal structures and determine the percentage of various fungal structures in host tissues. Fungal composition was profiled using metabarcoding techniques that targeted ITS2 of the nuclear ribosomal DNA., Results: Roots were consistently colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomeromycota), especially Acaulospora. Unlike previous findings on epiphytic ferns, dark septate endophytes were rare in O. pendulum roots. Leaves were predominantly colonized by Ascomycota fungi, specifically the classes Dothideomycetes (46.88%), Eurotiomycetes (11.51%), Sordariomycetes (6.23%), and Leotiomycetes (6.14%). Across sampling sites, fungal community compositions were similar in the roots but differed significantly in the leaves., Conclusions: Ophioderma pendulum maintains stable, single-taxon-dominant communities in the roots, primarily featuring arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, whereas the leaves may harbor opportunistic fungal colonizers. Our study underlines the significance of mycorrhizal fungi in the adaptation of epiphytic ferns., (© 2024 Botanical Society of America.)

Background: The roots of tunjuk langit (Helminthostacshys zeylanica) have been used traditionally in some villages in Indonesia, particularly in Riau Province. Objective: In this study we reported two flavonoids and their antidiabetic activity. Material and methods: Isolation of the metabolites was based on polarity fractionation method. Purification processes were conducted by vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC). Chemical structures were elucidated based on spectroscopy characteristics, including FTIR and 1D/2D NMR. Results: The isolated compounds were identified as ugonin J and K. The antidiabetic activity was measured by a-glucosidase inhibitor assay. The antidiabetic activity of ugonin J was found at IC50 273,13±0,402 ppm and Ugonin K was found at IC50 138,21±0,263 ppm (moderately active). Conclusion: Therefore this plant can be used traditionally as antidiabetic medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present part of the series provides new records of 14 taxa of which 8 are native and 6 introduced in Europe. Three vascular plants are newly reported from Kosovo (Corrigiola litoralis, Dysphania pumilio, Equisetum pratense) and one (Chamaecytisus purpureus) from Northern Macedonia. The occurrence of one species (Corydalis pumila) is confirmed in Northern Macedonia. Amendments to the known distribution of vascular plants are reported from Albania (Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Gratiola officinalis, Onosma heterophylla, Paspalum dilatatum), Hungary (Euphorbia lathyris), Lithuania (Ophioglossum vulgatum), and Slovakia (Duchesnea indica, Panicum dichotomiflorum, Pilosella cymosa). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species in the genus Botrychium are tiny herbaceous plants with simple morphology that are widely distributed in the northern hemisphere. The phylogenetic relationship intra the genus is not well resolved, different species/populations from North America, Europe, and Asia demonstrate a paraphyletic relationship, including Botrychium lunaria. In this study, we reported the first complete chloroplast genome sequence of B. lunaria from Chinese population. It is 138,558 bp in length, and composed with a typical quadripartite structure. The overall GC content is 44.40%. In total, 129 genes were annotated, including 84 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. A maximum-likelihood tree of primitive fern lineage based on complete chloroplast genome sequence data was constructed. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that Botrychium is closely related to other basal fern lineages, such as Helminthostachys, Ophioglossum, and Mankyua. Furthermore, the genomic data generated in this study will provide helpful information for the conservation of B. lunaria in Beijing, China.

Previous phylogenies showed conflicting relationships among the subfamilies and genera within the fern family Ophioglossaceae. However, their classification remains unsettled where contrasting classifications recognize four to 15 genera. Since these treatments are mostly based on phylogenetic evidence using limited, plastid-only loci, a phylogenomic understanding is actually necessary to provide conclusive insight into the systematics of the genera. In this study, we have therefore compiled datasets with the broadest sampling of Ophioglossaceae genera to date, including all fifteen currently recognized genera, especially for the first time the South African endemic genus Rhizoglossum . Notably, our comprehensive phylogenomic matrix is based on both plastome and mitogenome genes. Inferred from the coding sequences of 83 plastid and 37 mitochondrial genes, a strongly supported topology for these subfamilies is presented, and is established by analyses using different partitioning approaches and substitution models. At the generic level, most relationships are well resolved except for few within the subfamily Ophioglossoideae. With this new phylogenomic scheme, key morphological and genomic changes were further identified along this backbone. In addition, we confirmed numerous horizontally transferred (HGT) genes in the genera Botrypus , Helminthostachys, Mankyua , Sahashia , and Sceptridium . These HGT genes are most likely located in mitogenomes and are predominately donated from angiosperm Santalales or non-Ophioglossaceae ferns. By our in-depth searches of the organellar genomes, we also provided phylogenetic overviews for the plastid and mitochondrial MORFFO genes found in these Ophioglossaceae ferns., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Kuo, Su, Koubínová, Xie, Whitehouse, Ebihara and Grant.)

The genus Ophioglossum L. is revised for the Gujarat state and there were reported eight species viz. Ophioglossum costatum R. Br., O. gramineum Willd., O. gujaratense SM Patil, RN Kachhiyapatel, R Patel and KS Rajput, O. lusitanicum L., O. reticulatum L., O. parvifolium Grev. & Hook., O. nudicaule L. f. and O. thermale Kom., from different parts of the state. Amongst these, Ophioglossum thermale Kom. and O. lusitanicum L. were collected for the first time from Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary and this result is documented as a new distributional record for Gujarat state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Se presenta información acerca de Ophioglossaceae, un tipo de helecho, incluyendo Botrypus virginianus, Ophioglossum crotalophoroides y Ophioglossum engelmannii; así como sus características físicas y su distribución geográfica.

Abstract: Vegetative dormancy, that is the temporary absence of aboveground growth for ≥ 1 year, is paradoxical, because plants cannot photosynthesise or flower during dormant periods. We test ecological and evolutionary hypotheses for its widespread persistence. We show that dormancy has evolved numerous times. Most species displaying dormancy exhibit life‐history costs of sprouting, and of dormancy. Short‐lived and mycoheterotrophic species have higher proportions of dormant plants than long‐lived species and species with other nutritional modes. Foliage loss is associated with higher future dormancy levels, suggesting that carbon limitation promotes dormancy. Maximum dormancy duration is shorter under higher precipitation and at higher latitudes, the latter suggesting an important role for competition or herbivory. Study length affects estimates of some demographic parameters. Our results identify life historical and environmental drivers of dormancy. We also highlight the evolutionary importance of the little understood costs of sprouting and growth, latitudinal stress gradients and mixed nutritional modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary and secondary ornamentation of spores of ferns of the family Ophioglossaceae are important characters, used in the taxonomy of this group. Considering the small number of published data on those characters in the Ophioglossaceae from Central and Eastern Europe, this study aimed (1) to describe morphological characters of spores of Botrychium and Ophioglossum species and to assess their taxonomic significance; (2) to analyse variation in spore size between and within species of these genera, based on specimens from various habitats and geographic locations; and (3) to create a key to species identification based on the diagnostic characters of the spore ornamentation. We examined spores of 6 species from 16 localities in Central and Eastern Europe. Results of cluster analysis based on morphological characters of spores indicate that the species form well-defined groups, partly reflecting the systematics of the Ophioglossaceae. A comparison of our results with data from North-West Europe and North America shows differences in some species. The broad range of variation in the size of spores from European populations, in comparison with American ones, may be linked with polyploidy of the studied species. Our findings will help in identification of spores of the family Ophioglossaceae in palynological and palaeobotanical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peter Raven, in 1963, included two fern taxa of the genus Botrychium in his list of plant species exhibiting American amphitropical bipolar disjunctions. He attributed the southern hemisphere occurrences to post-Pleistocene long-distance dispersal from counterparts in the northern hemisphere, probably assisted by annual bird migrations between the disjunct areas. Using genetic evidence gathered through worldwide analyses of phylogenetic relationship in Botrychium, we now review and reconsider Raven's conclusions. Genetic similarities indicate that South American Botrychium dusenii is an allotetraploid taxon closely related to B. spathulatum, a North American endemic, and that B. lunaria in New Zealand possesses a genotype identical to that of a taxon in North America derived through introgressive hybridization between B. lunaria and an endemic North American species, B. neolunaria . Both North American counterparts exhibit Raven's characteristics of bipolar disjuncts in their occurrence in mountain and coastal meadows, copious production of small propagules (spores in Botrychium ), occurrence in habitats frequented by transpolar bird migrants, and ability to found new colonies through inbreeding. We discuss these characteristics in Botrychium and relative to other ferns and suggest further studies on Botrychium and related taxa to address questions of time, number, and mode of bipolar dispersals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The moonwort genus, Botrychium s. s., includes diploid and polyploid taxa that occur primarily in the northern hemisphere. Their evolutionary history, morphologically cryptic taxa and deep divergence of the family in the phylogeny of ferns has long fascinated pteridologists. Previous molecular studies did not include a complete taxonomic sampling of the taxa in the genus, nor multiple specimens from throughout the known geographical range of each taxon. Therefore, to investigate evolutionary relationships of the major clades of Botrychium s. s., we increased both taxonomic representativeness (multiple accessions per taxa), as well as phylogenetic resolution by including additional new chloroplast markers. To confirm identification and provide evidence from both maternal and paternal parentage of allopolyploids, we also included specimens that have been characterized by allozyme profiles determined by electrophoretic analysis of 20 nuclear enzyme loci for each taxon. We analyzed four chloroplast regions ( matK intron, trnHGUG - psbA, and trnLUAA - trnFGAA intergenic spacers, and rpL16 intron region) of 365 specimens fromAsia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America, sampling the geographical range of 34 of 35 accepted Botrychium s. s. taxa and thirteen putatively new taxa. We conducted a phylogenetic analysis of maternal lineages based on 2,385 aligned nucleotides using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference to explore genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships among taxa. We found strong support for themonophyly of three major clades: Lanceolatum, Lunaria, and Simplex-Campestre, and resolved 15 subclades. Our results suggest multiple origins for at least four polyploid taxa ( B. boreale, B. michiganense, B. yaaxudakeit, and B. watertonense). The Simplex-Campestre clade had the largest number of species, despite having a similar total number of haplotypes as the Lunaria clade (62 and 59, respectively), which has the broadest worldwide distribution. In total, our new molecular phylogeny comprises 47 taxa, of which thirteen are discussed for possible taxonomic recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botrychium campestre and B. lineare have, since their original descriptions, been considered closely related due to their morphological similarity. Although B. lineare was initially thought to be very rare, subsequent discoveries of many additional populations, especially in the Rocky Mountains and Sierra ranges, have afforded the opportunity to analyze hundreds of specimens on the basis of allozyme genetics. Surprisingly, B. lineare demonstrates a high degree of heterozygosity, implying an outcrossing breeding system, unlike the mostly homozygous, selfing B. campestre. However, overall levels of Nei's Genetic Identity between the two taxa are higher than usual between species. With this knowledge, we infer that taxon lineare is probably ancestral within complex, and that taxon campestre arose from within it as an adaptation to more xeric habitats. Given that B. campestre has nomenclatural priority, we propose to recognize lineare as a variety within a more broadly construed campestre, i.e., Botrychium campestre var. lineare, and suggest that hybrid or introgressed plants, such as rarely occur (e.g., at Glacier National Park and in the Black Hills of South Dakota) be referred to only at the specific rank, i.e., without reference to variety [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to answer the following questions about the epiphytic hand fern Cheiroglossa palmata (L.) C. Presl: ( i) are the longevity and morphology of leaves influenced by field site and host tree; and ( ii) are leaf mortality, emergence, growth, and sporangial dehiscence influenced by weather? We monitored survival, morphology, emergence, growth, and dehiscence for 27 months at wet and dry field sites. We tested for correlations between phenology and weather from 0-3, 4-6, and 7-9 months before a field survey. More morphological traits were influenced by the tree in which a fern grew than field site. However, leaves at the wet site had longer blades, sporangial clusters, and sporophore stalks, and lived longer. More leaves emerged when precipitation and temperatures were higher within the prior 3 months. Leaves grew longer when precipitation was higher within 0-6 months and minimum temperature was higher within 4-6 months. Dehiscence was positively correlated with the number of days of precipitation within 3 months. Emergence, growth, and dehiscence were negatively correlated with some measures of temperature and precipitation, especially higher precipitation within 7-9 months. Our results indicate an important, but complicated, impact of seasonal variation in temperatures and precipitation on the phenology of hand fern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Botrychium lunaria (Ophioglossaceae) complex worldwide includes the named species B. lunaria, B. crenulatum, B. tunux, and B. yaaxudakeit. These species have been distinguished from each other morphologically and genetically. This study further investigates the genetic diversity and geographic distribution of this complex, examining a large number of plants worldwide. Enzyme electrophoresis was used to examine allelic variation of 22 loci for 1574 plants of putative B. lunaria, B. crenulatum and B. tunux from North America, Eurasia, and New Zealand, and B. dusenii from the Falkland Islands. Variation in allelic composition assessed by genetic identity and cluster analysis using the programs PopGene and STRUCTURE as well as morphology and geography indicated that the complex is composed of six distinct entities; two of which warrant recognition as new species, B. neolunaria, endemic to North America, and B. nordicum, sister to the B. lunaria complex, from Iceland and Norway; and a new combination, B. lunaria var. melzeri , endemic to Greenland, Iceland, and Norway. The new taxa are described in this paper. Three entities within B. tunux are discussed but not proposed for recognition at this time. Botrychium lanceolatum, included in this study , is composed of three morphologically and genetically distinct entities warranting taxonomic recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genusBotrychium(Ophioglossaceae) is comprised of about 30 widely distributed species. Because of their small size and few, yet variable, morphological characters, many questionable taxa have been described over the years. Since its description in 1906,B. duseniihas been treated as both a distinct species and variously divided into four taxa:B. lunariavar.dusenii,B. lunariavar.typicum,B. lunariavar.antarctica, andB. ramosumvar.patagonicum(B. matricariaefoliumsubsp.patagonicum). The aim of this study is to evaluate the validity of these taxa using spore wall sculpture, spore size, allelic composition employing enzyme electrophoresis, and morphological characters. We conclude that only one species ofBotrychiumoccurs in southern South America and recognize this asB. dusenii, a species distinct fromB. lunaria. Spore size and results of enzyme electrophoresis suggest thatB. duseniiis an allotetraploid derived through hybridization between a diploid member of theB. lunariacomplex and a diploid member of theB. campestrecomplex. We provide information about habitat, distribution, and full exsiccate citations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]