Molecular relationship of Hymenophyton species (Metzgeriidae, Hepaticophytina) in New Zealand and Tasmania. Studies in austral temperate rain forest bryophytes 5

The infrageneric relationship in Hymenophyton is studied based on a sequenc ing of the trnL(UAA) intron of chloroplast DNA of New Zealand and Tasmanian specimens. The molecular data strongly support the existence of at least t wo species, including H. flabellatum and H. leptopodum. These species, alre ady recognised as distinct in phytochemical studies, but nevertheless often regarded as synonyms due to morphological similarities, are readily identi fied by the differences in the analysed intron sequences. Two indels and at least six substitutions differentiate between specimens of H. flabellatum and H. leptopodum. Within H. flabellatum and within New Zealand H. leptopod um, the homologies in the sequence of the trnL intron are great (>99%) and no molecular divergence patterns can be detected. Possible intraspecific re lationships between the analysed specimens of both taxa are discussed.