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Online ISSN : 2349-8080 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorinchiefijcrbp@gmail.com |
2 Nationale Plantentuin van België and Domaine of Bouchout, Nieuwelaan
3 8, B-1860 Meise, Belgium 3Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6 10099, Berlin, Germany
4 Université de Kisangani, service de Palynologie et Biodiversité, B.P 2012, Kisangani, DR Congo
5 Universiteit Antwerpen/ België, Ecosystem Management Research Group, Department of Biology Universiteitsplein 1-C B-2610 Antwerp-Wilrijk, Belgium
Present study examined the phylogenetic structure of two species of the genus Asplenium L. [A. aethiopicum (Burm.f.) Bech, A. friesiorum C.Chr. and affinity) in Kivu (DR Congo) which are known to comprise several different morphotypes. In total, 15 specimens of A. friesiorum C.Chr. (and affinity) and 15 of A. aethiopicum (Burm.f.) Bech. were sequenced for three molecular markers (trnG, trnL-F and rps4-trnS). Prior to analyzing the combined chloroplast data, each marker was examined separately to recognize the phylogenetic differences amongst the chloroplast datasets. Sequence datasets were analyzed using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference, in order to obtain solid phylogenetic results. To consolidate the phylogenetic information obtained, we observed the spores of corresponding herbarium specimens using scanning electron microscopy. Phylogenetic results demonstrated that each of the Asplenium L. species studied here comprises at least two clearly delimited subspecies in Kivu [A. friesiorum kivuensis Mangambu nov.* and A. friesiorum C.Chr.; A. aethiopicum (Burm.f.) Bech. subsp. aethiopicum and A. aethiopicum (Burm.f.) Bech. subsp. tripinnatum (Baker) A.F. Braithw]. The observed spores showed differences in shape and size between the subspecies studied of A. aethiopicum (Burm.f.) Bech., species A. friesiorum C.Chr. and A. kivuensis Mangambu nov.*.
