Asplenium pseudocapillipes (Aspleniaceae), a New Fern Species from South Korea

A new allotetraploid species of the genus Asplenium, A. pseudocapillipes, originated from the hybridization between A. capillipes and A. tenuicaule, has been newly discovered in two limestone areas of South Korea. A molecular phylogenetic analysis using one chloroplast region (rbcL) and three single- or low-copy nuclear regions (AK1, gapCp, pgiC) and a cytological analysis, including genome size measurements, were conducted to characterize this new species. From these results, the maternal origin of A. pseudocapillipes was confirmed to be A. capillipes, which has never been reported in Korea. All three nuclear data showed that this new species had genotypes of both A. capillipes and A. tenuicaule. The quantitative characteristics of the leaves showed values intermediate between the two parental species. The absence of gemma accorded with its paternal origin from A. tenuicaule, and 32 spores per sporangium accorded with its maternal origin from A. capillipes. Although A. pseudocapillipes has 32 spores per sporangium, it is considered to be a sexually reproducing, not an apomitic, fern.