Tectaria danangensis (Tectariaceae), a new fern species from Vietnam

A new fern species, Tectaria danangensis (Tectariaceae) from Vietnam, which had long been misreported as T. crenata, is described and illustrated. The new species resembles T. poilanei, a species long neglected in the fern flora of Indochina, in the frond shape and sori arrangement, but differs by its irregularly 2-rowed sori (versus regularly 2-rowed, distantly and evenly arranged) between lateral veins of pinnae, fronds being more or less dimorphic (versus monomorphic) and basal pinnae each with a base-joined (versus free) lobe. Phylogenetic analyses of five plastid regions (atpB, ndhF+ ndhF-trnN, rbcL, rps16-matK+ matK and trnL-F) suggested T. danangensis has a close affinity to T. harlandii. Tectaria danangensis appears to be an intermediate species between T. harlandii and T. poilanei.

Automated summary

This study describes a new fern species, Tectaria danangensis, from Vietnam, which was previously misidentified as T. crenata. Through morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis, it is found that T. danangensis has a close affinity to T. harlandii and is an intermediate species between T. harlandii and T. poilanei.