Leptochilus yangjiangensis (Polypodiaceae), a New Fern Species From Guangdong, China

A new fern species, Leptochilus yangjiangensis (Polypodiaceae), was discovered during field surveys in Ziluo Mountain, Yangjiang City, Guangdong Province, China. This study provides a detailed morphological description and illustrations of the new species. Morphologically, this species resembles Leptochilus pedunculatus and L. ovatus in plant height, petiole morphology, and soral morphology, but differs from them in its coriaceous laminae and lanceolate fertile fronds. To confirm its taxonomic status, phylogenetic analyses based on three plastid genome regions (rbcL, trnL-F, and rps4+rps4-trnS) indicated that the new species forms a distinct and well-supported monophyletic clade and is sister to L. dolichophyllus. Furthermore, the complete plastid genome of this new species is reported for the first time. Preliminarily assessed as Data Deficient (DD) according to IUCN guidelines, this new species enriches the diversity of Leptochilus.