Morphological evolution and phylogeny are unlinked in Hawaiian Doryopteris (Cheilanthoideae: Pteridaceae)
Premise of the study: Doryopteris J.Sm. is a genus of dry-adapted ferns found widely across the southern hemisphere and the tropics. In the Hawaiian Islands, the genus is represented by four endemic species and one putative hybrid. Two of the endemic species (D. decora and D. decipiens) are widespread across all major islands, while two (D. angelica and D. takeuchii) are federally and…
A recent study has investigated the morphological evolution and phylogeny of Hawaiian Doryopteris, a genus of dry-adapted ferns endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The research team utilized a target-capture approach and a probe set to sequence over 400 nuclear loci for 40 Hawaiian and 29 non-Hawaiian Doryopteris individuals, as well as related genera Lytoneuron and Ormopteris.
The results of their analysis reveal that Hawaiian Doryopteris are monophyletic and nested within the pantropical species D. concolor. Moreover, the geographical, geological, and climatological factors in Hawaii have a stronger influence on the clades and clusters of individuals than their species identifications. This suggests that Hawaiian Doryopteris may be an incipient radiation at the very early stages of divergence, with budding speciation leading to non-monophyly of several taxa.
In conclusion, the study highlights the complex evolutionary history of Hawaiian Doryopteris, emphasizing that the phylogeny of the genus is strongly linked with geographical, geological, and climatological processes, rather than morphological evolution.
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