DNA sequencing supports the reinstatement of Pycnolejeunea glauca from synonymy of Cheilolejeunea  intertexta, as Cheilolejeunea glauca comb. nov.

Peter Beveridge; David Glenny; Lara Shepherd

doi:10.7751/telopea14692

Authors

Peter Beveridge
David Glenny Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8064-6308
Lara Shepherd Te Papa Tongarewa - Museum of New Zealand http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7136-0017

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7751/telopea14692

Keywords:

Liverwort, New Zealand, Cheilolejeunea intertexta, C. glauca, endemic, synonymy, phylogeny, reinstatement.

Abstract

Pycnolejeunea glauca, originally described by Stephani based on a collection in New Zealand by William Colenso, was placed by Grolle into the synonymy of the paleotropical species Cheilolejeunea intertexta with a type from Micronesia. In this study, we generated DNA sequences from a recently-collected sample of P. glauca and compared them with published sequences of C. intertexta from China. Pycnolejeunea glauca was recovered in the phylogenetic analyses as sister to C. nipponica, whereas C. intertexta grouped in another clade with C. vittata and C. streimannii. The analysis justifies the reinstatement of P. glauca as the new combination Cheilolejeunea glauca, a New Zealand endemic. Descriptions and illustrations are provided of key features of this species together with data on its position in the phylogeny of the genus.