Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2017, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (2): 241-253.DOI: 10.11983/CBB16044

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Taxonomic Revision and Phylogenetics of the Orthotrichaceae: History, Problems and Prospects

Ling Zhan, Jing Yu, Shuiliang Guo*, Tong Cao   

  1. College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
  • Received:2016-03-12 Accepted:2016-10-16 Online:2017-03-01 Published:2017-04-05
  • Contact: Guo Shuiliang
  • About author:

    # Co-first authors

Abstract: Orthotrichaceae is the third largest moss family according to species number. The family is rich in species and especially ecotypes but is also a taxon with high diversity, many taxonomic problems, and complex systematic relationship within its groups. The contemporary taxonomy and systematics of Orthotrichaceae has mainly focused on its local flora and monographs of relevant genera. The major genera have been taxonomically revised, except for some species names of Zygodon and Schlotheimia in tropical America and Africa. However, there are many disputes about subfamily divisions, systematic level of some genera, and relationships among different groups within the family. Moreover, previous relevant cladistics studies of Orthotrichaceae included only single gene fragments or did not include all taxa within the family. Therefore, more molecular and morphological data are needed for further phylogenetic research of the Orthotrichaceae family.