Molecular α-taxonomy of Japanese ferns using rbcL sequence data as the first key information

一般来说，蕨类植物的形态比被子植物简单得多。由于蕨类植物通常缺乏可用于物种识别的良好形态特征，一个形态物种中可能包含多个隐蔽物种。近年来，利用聚合酶链式反应和直接测序技术从野生植物中收集DNA核苷酸序列数据变得更加容易。这种分子信息主要用于系统发育分析，但也可用于α分类学(识别自然存在的物种)。当形态不能提供足够的物种划分信息时，DNA序列的特征可能会为α分类学提供有用的替代信息。我们正在尝试建立一种新的分子α分类方法，该方法适用于任何形态简单的植物。在这个研究项目中，我们研究了远缘蕨类群中rbcL序列的种内变异，这些蕨类群包括凤尾蕨科(Aspleniaceae)、狗尾草(Stegnogram ma pozoi…)。More(紫蕨科)、Osmunda cinnamomea、O.claytoniana、O.regalis(紫薇科)和Cheiropleuria biuspis(Cheiropleuriaceae)。在每个物种中，我们发现了大量的rbcL序列变异。在Anodus中，我们仔细研究了在Mt.印度尼西亚哈里门国家公园利用人工杂交试验和等位酶分析。我们还对每一种红细胞型进行了生态观察。我们的结果表明，这些rbcL类型的钉螺是神秘的物种，因为它们在生殖上是隔离的，在遗传和生态上分化良好。山上的五种RbcL类型哈里门国家公园应该被作为单独的物种对待，尽管它们仅仅通过叶片的大体形态很难区分。蕨类植物中大量的rbcL序列变异可能表明，它们也是由几个不同的繁殖力分离的隐蔽物种组成的，就像羊草一样。我们还计划对这些物种采用同样的策略，以确定它们的物种地位。较少

Generally, ferns have much simpler morphology than angiosperms. Since ferns usually lack the good morphological characters available for specied recognition, multiple cryptic species may be contained within one morphological species. Recently, it has becom easier to collect DNA nucleotide sequence data from wild plants using PCR and direct sequencing techniques. This kind of molecular information has mostly been used for phylogenetic analysis, but can also useful for α-taxonomy(recognition of naturally existing species). The characters of DNA sequences may provide alternative useful information for α-taxonomy when morphology does not provide enough information about species delimitation. We are now trying to establish new molecular α-taxonomical method which is applicable to any morphologically simple plants. In this research project, we examined intra-morphospecific variations of rbcL sequences in distantly related fern groups such as Asplenium nidus(Aspleniaceae), Stegnogramma pozoi … More (Thelypteridaceae), Osmunda cinnamomea, O. claytoniana, O. regalis (Osmundaceae) and Cheiropleuria bicuspis (Cheiropleuriaceae). In each species, we found a large amount of rbcL sequence variation. In A. nidus, we carefully examined possible genetic isolation between different rbcL types found in Mt. Halimun National Park, Indonesia using artificial crossing experiments and allozyme analyses. We also conducted ecological observation of each rbcL types. Our results suggest that these rbcL types of A nidus are cryptic species because they are reproductively isolated, genetically and ecologically well differentiated. The five rbcL types in Mt. Halimun National Park should be treated as separate species even though they are difficult to ve distinguish only by their leaf gross morphology. The large amount of rbcL sequence variation in fern species may suggest that they also consist of several different reproductivelu isolated cryptic species, just as A.nidus does. We are also planning to apply the same strategy used for A. nidus for these species in order to determine their species status. Less