Molecular and morphological insights into <i>Phaeoceros himalayensis</i> (Notothyladaceae) and related species: evidence for two new species from Thailand.

ABSTRACT: The hornwort genus Phaeoceros is morphologically diverse, particularly in sporophyte and spore characters. Among its members, P. himalayensis and P. kashyapii, two previously known species from the Himalayan region, are distinct in their stalked tuber thalli, dark brown sporophytes with valves apically adherent at maturity, and vermiculate spores with or without hump-like projections or verrucae on the distal face. In this study, we combine detailed morphological and molecular evidence to investigate species boundaries within the group of species possessing these traits, comprising P. himalayensis, P. kashyapii, and related taxa. Within Phaeoceros, two fully supported clades were recovered, here recognized as subgenus Phaeoceros and subgenus Himala

SUBMITTER: Suwanmala O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12723400 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature