The Genus Colura (Dumort.) Dumort. (Lejeuneaceae, Marchantiophyta) in Malesian Region

Abstract

A taxonomic revision of the genus Colura in Malesian region is presented based on specimens from herbaria and field collections carried out from June 2013 to January 2018. The infrageneric phylogenetic relationships of Colura species are assessed. The combined molecular data (nrITS, trnL-F, and rbcL) were analysed using Maximum parsimony, Maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference. The resulted topology supports the classification of the genus Colura into 2 subgenera: Colura and Glotta Grolle et R.L.Zhu. In addition, Macrocolura sagittistipula (Spruce) R.M.Schust. should be retained as a member of the genus Colura. Besides, the phylogenetic relationships of C. inflata K.I.Goebel and it related species was also investigated. The analyses indicate that C. inflata is a distinct species, while C. corniantha Grolle and C. siamensis Jovet-Ast are a conspecific. In this revision, 34 species of Colura are recognised, including one new species, C. sigmoidea Sangratt. et al. and four new records (C. calyptrifolia, C. corniantha, C. medusa, and C. valida). Moreover, Colura cymbalifera Herzog et Jovet-Ast and C. siamensis were treated as synonyms of C. hemisphaerica Jovet-Ast and C. corniantha, respectively. A key to species, descriptions and illustrations are provided. Habitats, ecology, and geographical distributions are also presented. The majority of the species are epiphylls with some species growing on branch or bark. The total altitudinal range of the genus extends from near sea level to 2900 m in elevation. Almost all Colura species (26 species) are found distributed in lower montane to montane rain forests. Among phytogeography, five groups are classified including 1) Pantropic-Subtropic and Temperate (5.88%), 2) Asia Tropical and Subtropical-Australasia-Pacific (35.29%), 3) Malesia (47.05%), 4) Indo-china-Sumatra (8.82%), and 5) Endemic of Maluku Islands (Indonesia) (3.94%).