New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts
Morphological and genetic diversity in the New Zealand fern Polystichum
vestitum (Dryopteridaceae), with special reference to the Chatham Islands
Leon R. Perrie
Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution
Massey University
Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Present address: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa,
P.O. Box 467,Wellington, New Zealand. Email:leonp@tepapa.govt.nz
Patrick J. Brownsey
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
P.O. Box 467
Wellington, New Zealand
Peter J. Lockhart
Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution
Massey University
Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Mark F. Large
School of Landscape and Plant Science
UNITEC
Private Bag 92025
Auckland, New Zealand
Abstract Some plants of Polystichum from the Chatham
Islands exhibit morphological character states unknown from the North and
South Islands of New Zealand. Several workers have suggested that these plants
should be given taxonomic recognition. However, analyses of morphological
and molecular (AFLP-DNA fingerprinting) data provide no strong evidence that
these morphologically divergent Chatham Islands plants constitute an evolutionary
lineage separate from the remainder of P. vestitum. We consequently
suggest the retention of P. vestitum as a single, albeit morphologically
variable, taxonomic species, with no subspecies. Varietal-level classification
of the morphological variation is discussed, but its implementation is not
recommended. Morphological similarities between some plants of P. vestitum
from the Chatham Islands and some from the islands in the subantarctic and
around Stewart Island are not reflected by a close genetic relationship.
Keywords Polystichum; P. vestitum; Dryopteridaceae;
fern; morphological variation; AFLP DNA-fingerprinting; genetic; taxonomy;
species; evolution; lineage; conservation; Chatham Islands; subantarctic;
New Zealand flora
B02060; Received 23 August 2002; accepted 10 June 2003; online publication
date 26 November 2003
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 2003, Vol. 41: 581-602
0028-825X/03/4104-0581 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand
2003
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