Rescue of Cornopteris (Athyriaceae, Polypodiopsida) [PASSED]

[juliah3]

Author(s) of proposal

Julia Hobbie, Carl Rothfels

Name of taxon

Cornopteris

Rank of taxon

Genus

Approximate number of species affected

13

Description of change

Resurrection of Cornopteris Nakai (treated within Athyrium in PPG I)

Reason for change

It is necessary to recognize Cornopteris in order to keep Athyrium monophyletic while recognizing Pseudathyrium. Cornopteris is monophyletic, morphologically distinct, and widely recognized (e.g., Wang et al. 1999 [updated], Fan et al. 2008, Maideen et al. 2021, Tagane 2021, Hassler 2023, iNaturalist 2023). Molecular evidence shows that Pseudathyrium and Cornopteris are sister to each other, and together are sister to Athyrium (sens. str.; Wei et al., 2018; Moran et al, 2019). Cornopteris has a south-temperate/tropical Asian distribution and is distinguished by corniculate costae and costules (the axes have fleshy horn-like “spines” at their bases) and exindusiate sori. In contrast, Pseudathyrium has the indusia reduced (sometimes absent, especially when mature), scaled leaf bases, and a circumpolar/north-temperate/alpine distribution, and Athyrium generally has indusiate sori (among other differences).

Related issues: This proposal fits in with the other “athyriid” proposals: Rescue of Cornopteris and Pseudathyrium (Athyriaceae, Polypodiopsida) #32; Rescue of Anisocampium (Athyriaceae, Polypodiopsida) #33; and Recognition of Ephemeropteris (Athyriaceae, Polypodiopsida) #34. Together, these proposals result in five genera within the athyriids, instead of the single genus (Athyrium) recognized in PPG I. These proposals are largely interconnected–in order to recognize only monophyletic genera, three options exist:
Recognize Ephemeropteris but reject the other proposals;
Recognize Ephemeropteris and Anisocampium and reject the other proposals
Recognize all five genera, i.e., accept all the athyriid proposals
Proposal #32 was originally strictly limited to Pseudathyrium and has subsequently been modified to include Cornopteris. This proposal makes that inclusion explicit.

References:
Fan, Ya-Wen, Xiu-Ying Zhang, and Xiao-Yu Men. 2008. “RAPD Analysis of Athyriaceae in Heilongjiang Province and Its Phylogenetic Significance.” Bulletin of Botanical Research, 2.
Hassler 2023. A complete, synonymic checklist of the Ferns and Lycophytes of the World. https://www.worldplants.de/world-ferns/ferns-and-lycophytes-list
Maideen, H., Aliah, N., & Nadhirah, N. (2021). A New Record of the Fern Genus Cornopteris (Athyriaceae) From Peninsular Malaysia. American Fern Journal, 111(2), 63-67.
Moran, R. C., Garrison Hanks, J., & Sundue, M. (2019). Phylogenetic relationships of Neotropical lady ferns (Athyriaceae), with a description of Ephemeropteris, gen. nov. Taxon, 68(3), 425-441.
Tagane, S., Souladeth, P., Kongxaysavath, D., Rueangruea, S., Suddee, S., Suyama, Y., ... & Yahara, T. (2021). Two new species and 18 new records for the flora of Laos. Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany), 49(1), 111-126.
Wang Zhong-ren, Chu Wei-ming, He Zhao-rong & Hsieh Yin-tang. 1999. Athyriaceae (excluding Acystopteris, Cystoathyrium, Cystopteris, Diplaziopsis, Gymnocarpium, and Rhachidosorus). In: Chu Wei-ming, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 3(2): 32-511.
Wei, R., Ebihara, A., Zhu, Y. M., Zhao, C. F., Hennequin, S., & Zhang, X. C. (2018). A total-evidence phylogeny of the lady fern genus Athyrium Roth (Athyriaceae) with a new infrageneric classification. Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 119, 25–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2017.10.019

Reference(s) for publication of the name

Nakai - Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 44: 7 (1930)

List the numbers of any related issues

#32, #33, #34

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow the PPG Code of Conduct

[khorikhori]

How to treat intergeneric hybrids of Athyrium and Cornopteris ?
Athyrium x cornopteroides Sa.Kurata
Journal of Geobotany; or the Hokuriku Journal of Botany 12: 14. 1963.
https://kanazawa-u.repo.nii.ac.jp/records/12670
Athyrium x glabrescens Seriz.
Journal of Japanese Botany 56(7): 193, Fig. 1, 1981.
https://doi.org/10.51033/jjapbot.56_7_7234
Athyrium x petiolulatum Sa.Kurata
Journal of Geobotany; or the Hokuriku Journal of Botany 14(1): 5, 1965.
Link is unknown.
Nothogenus is not defined but no molecular data was published.

[crothfels]

There is a nothogenus available for these hybrids: xCornoathyrium Nakaike, and it looks like all three taxa listed above already have names there (in xCornoathyrium). We (PPG II) need to propose to recognize xCornoathyrium (I hope to do that soon.)

[khorikhori]

Thank youvery much. Today I confirmed x Cornoathyrium in:
Toshiyuki Nakaike (1992). New Flora of Japan: Pteridophyta. Rev. & enlarg. ed. Shibundo, Tokyo.

[joelnitta]

This proposal was voted on during PPG Ballot 6 (voting period December 2023). A total of 62 votes were cast. There were 57 'Yes' votes (91.9%) and 5 'No' votes (8.1%). The proposal passes.