Phylogenetic relationships within the haplolepideous mosses

Mosses with haplolepideous peristomes form a major lineage within the arthr odontous taxa, the Dicranidae. Relationships among lineages within the Dicr anidae are explored using three cpDNA regions: rbcL, rps4, and the region s panning trnL(UAA)- trnF(GAA). Maximum parsimony analyses of combined data s ets support robust clades that correspond to traditionally recognized famil ies. Phylogenetic relationships of 71 exemplar taxa rooted with five outgro up taxa identify 13 major clades within the Dicranidae. Predominantly the m onophyly of these groups is strongly supported, although relationships amon g the clades are ambiguous. The phylogenetic implications of the current ta xon sampling include 1) the Dicranidae are monophyletic, 2) the Pottiales a re polyphyletic with the Calymperaceae and Octoblepharaceae cladistically d istant from the Pottiaceae, and these two former families should be transfe rred to the Dicranales, 3) the Dicranales are polyphyletic, with Ditrichace ae and Rhabdoweisiaceae more closely related to the Pottiaceae than other m embers of the Dicranales, 4) the Fissidentaceae are nested within the Dicra nales, 5) the Rhachitheciaceae and Erpodiaceae are nested within the Dicran idae and sister to the Pottiaceae, 6) Amphidium is sister to the pottiaceou s clade, 7) the Seligeriaceae form a well supported sister relationship to the Grimmiales, and 8) Scouleria aquatica, Bryoxiphium norvegicum, Ditrichu m flexicaule, and Timmiella crassinervis appear to form basal lineages with in the Dicranidae.