Options
Taxonomic and phytogeographic studies on Aspleniaceae in Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Java
Author
Siti Khadijah Rambe
Supervisor
Lum, Shawn K. Y.
Abstract
The arrangement of Aspleniaceae taxonomy needs to be revised due to the lack of consensus over the importance of various biological characters in helping recognise natural subdivisions within the family. There have been long discussions among taxonomists as to which biological characters should be used to defined genera within the family. Discovering an appropriate means of analysing the characters is very important. After comparing the characters that were used, the molecular aspect was found as the most reliable tool to produce the best grouping of species under study. By using 38 taxa of Aspleniaceae, cladograms generated from molecular data exhibited reliable clades. These grouped the taxa into certain characters of anatomy and morphology such that these characters are strongly seen to have taxonomic value. Moreover, it also confirmed that Hymenasplenium was a natural genus in the Aspleniaceae. As the biggest family among the pteridophytes, the number of species in Malesia and adjacent phytogeographic units were judged to be reliable enough to analyse distribution patterns. The Aspleniaceae was assumed to consist of 750 species; 271 taxa were analysed resulting in the phytogeographic pattern for Malesia, and 358 taxa for Malesia, Thailand, Micro-Melanesia, Australia and New Zealand. It was found that the demarcation of fern distribution was wider than that of spermatophytes. It was found as well that the border areas of phytogeographic units in pteridophytes are not as sharp as they are in spermatophytes.
Date Issued
2001
Call Number
QK524.A7 Sit
Date Submitted
2001