Recently, a team led by researcher Hongfeng Chen from the South China Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with researcher Yuehong Yan from the Shenzhen Orchid Conservation Center, published a study on a new species of Angiopteris — Angiopteris nodosipetiolata Ting Wang tris, H. F. Chen & Y. H. Yan. The findings were published in the international academic journal "PhytoKeys."
Angiopteris belongs to the order Marattiales and family Marattiaceae, representing an important evolutionary lineage of ferns with significant ornamental, medicinal, edible, and scientific research value. Currently, there are approximately 53 recognized species of Angiopteris worldwide, with 30 species in China (including 18 endemic species), mainly distributed in regions such as Southwest and South China. Due to the high number of endangered species within the genus and the difficulty in distinguishing species due to their similarities, all plants in the genus Angiopteris are classified as second-level key protected objects in the "National Key Protected Wild Plant List" of 2021.
In August 2022, the team led by Hongfeng Chen, accompanied by senior engineer Jinguo Zhang from the Maguan Gulinjing Provincial Nature Reserve Management Bureau in Yunnan Province, conducted a field survey of Angiopteris plants in the reserve and discovered a suspected new species. Specimens were collected for indoor morphological observation. By comparing information and specimens of all known Angiopteris species from sources such as "Flora of China," literature, and databases like CVH and GBIF, they noted distinct morphological features of the new species. For instance, in leaf stalk morphology, the new species resembles Angiopteris chinensis in having multiple leaf cushions on the leaf stalk, but differs in mature frond morphology and vein patterns. In leaf blade morphology, it is similar to Angiopteris latifolia and Angiopteris rotundata, but these two species have only one leaf cushion on the leaf stalk and lack glandular hairs beneath the fronds.
In July 2023, the team revisited the nature reserve to conduct a detailed survey and statistical analysis of the new species' natural habitat, population size, and morphological characteristics. Molecular samples were collected for chloroplast genome sequencing. Phylogenetic and genetic distance analyses revealed that the new species is not closely related to morphologically similar species mentioned earlier, showing significant genetic distance between them. Based on the combined morphological and molecular systematic studies, the team confirmed the new species as a member of the Angiopteris genus and named it Angiopteris nodosipetiolata due to its unique leaf stalk feature of multiple leaf cushions.
Currently, the team has identified 500 mature individuals of Angiopteris nodosipetiolata at its type locality. Following IUCN standards, Hongfeng Chen suggests classifying this new species as endangered (EN) and recommending it for second-level key protection, similar to other members of the Angiopteris genus. "The research indicates that unidentified species like Angiopteris nodosipetiolata may exist in various habitats, whether in natural reserves or human-impacted urban or rural areas. Only through active conservation and scientific research can researchers protect the diversity and uniqueness of all life on Earth."
Related paper information: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.241.115175
The image shows the habitat (A, B), leaf morphology (C, D, E), petiole (F), rhizome (G), sporangia (H, I), sorus on the back of frond showing clavate hairs (J), spore ornamentation (K), and petiole scales (L) of the Adiantum reniforme. Image provided by the research team.
