Corrigendum: Phylogeny and Taxonomy on Cryptic Species of Forked Ferns of Asia

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.748562.].

Phylogeny and Taxonomy on Cryptic Species of Forked Ferns of Asia

Cryptic species comprise two or more taxa that are grounded under a single name because they are more-or-less indistinguishable morphologically. These species are potentially important for detailed assessments of biodiversity, but there now appear to be many more cryptic species than previously estimated. One taxonomic group likely to contain many cryptic species is Dicranopteris, a genus of forked ferns that occurs commonly along roadsides in Asia. The genus has a complex taxonomical history, and D. linearis has been particularly challenging with many intra-specific taxa dubiously erected to accommodate morphological variation that lacks clear discontinuities. To resolve species boundaries within Dicranopteris, we applied a molecular phylogenetic approach as complementary to morphology. Specifically, we used five chloroplast gene regions (rbcL, atpB, rps4, matK, and trnL-trnF) to generate a well-resolved phylogeny based on 37 samples representing 13 taxa of Dicranopteris, spanning the major distributional area in Asia. The results showed that Dicranopteris consists of ten highly supported clades, and D. linearis is polyphyletic, suggesting cryptic diversity within the species. Further through morphological comparison, we certainly erected Dicranopteris austrosinensis Y.H. Yan & Z.Y. Wei sp. nov. and Dicranopteris baliensis Y.H. Yan & Z.Y. Wei sp. nov. as distinct species and proposed five new combinations. We also inferred that the extant diversity of the genus Dicranopteris may result from relatively recent diversification in the Miocene based on divergence time dating. Overall, our study not only provided additional insights on the Gleicheniaceae tree of life, but also served as a case of integrating molecular and morphological approaches to elucidate cryptic diversity in taxonomically difficult groups.

Methanol extract of Dicranopteris linearis L. leaves impedes acetaminophen-induced liver intoxication partly by enhancing the endogenous antioxidant system

Background

The present study investigated the potential of methanolic extract of Dicranopteris linearis (MEDL) leaves to attenuate liver intoxication induced by acetaminophen (APAP) in rats.

Methods

A group of mice (n = 5) treated orally with a single dose (5000 mg/kg) of MEDL was first subjected to the acute toxicity study using the OECD 420 model. In the hepatoprotective study, six groups of rats (n = 6) were used and each received as follows: Group 1 (normal control; pretreated with 10% DMSO (extract’s vehicle) followed by treatment with 10% DMSO (hepatotoxin’s vehicle) (10% DMSO +10% DMSO)), Group 2 (hepatotoxic control; 10% DMSO +3 g/kg APAP (hepatotoxin)), Group 3 (positive control; 200 mg/kg silymarin +3 g/kg APAP), Group 4 (50 mg/kg MEDL +3 g/kg APAP), Group 5 (250 mg/kg MEDL +3 g/kg APAP) or Group 6 (500 mg/kg MEDL +3 g/kg APAP). The test solutions pre-treatment were made orally once daily for 7 consecutive days, and 1 h after the last test solutions administration (on Day 7th), the rats were treated with vehicle or APAP. Blood were collected from those treated rats for biochemical analyses, which were then euthanized to collect their liver for endogenous antioxidant enzymes determination and histopathological examination. The extract was also subjected to in vitro anti-inflammatory investigation and, HPLC and GCMS analyses.

Results

Pre-treatment of rats (Group 2) with 10% DMSO failed to attenuate the toxic effect of APAP on the liver as seen under the microscopic examination. This observation was supported by the significant (p < 0.05) increased in the level of serum liver enzymes of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and significant (p < 0.05) decreased in the activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in comparison to Group 1. Pre-treatment with MEDL, at all doses, significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the level of ALT and AST while the levels of CAT and SOD was significantly (p < 0.05) restored to their normal value. Histopathological studies showed remarkable improvement in the liver cells architecture with increase in dose of the extract. MEDL also demonstrated a low to none inhibitory activity against the respective LOX- and NO-mediated inflammatory activity. The HPLC and GCMS analyses of MEDL demonstrated the presence of several non-volatile (such as rutin, gallic acid etc.) and volatile (such as methyl palmitate, shikimic acid etc.) bioactive compounds.

Conclusion

MEDL exerts hepatoprotective activity against APAP-induced intoxication possibly via its ability to partly activate the endogenous antioxidant system and presence of various volatile and non-volatile bioactive compounds that might act synergistically to enhance the hepatoprotective effect.

Diterpene glycosides from the ethanol extract of Diplopterygium rufopilosum

A phytochemical investigation on the 70% EtOH extract from the dry fronds of Diplopterygium rufopilosum afforded two new labdane-type diterpene glycosides, (3β,13S)-3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-13-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-labda-8(17),14-diene (1) and (3β,13S)-3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-13-O-[6-O-acetyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-2-O-acetyl-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl]-labda-8(17),14-diene (2). Their structures were determined on the basis of chemical method and spectroscopic analyses, including 1D and 2D NMR (COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY) and HR-ESI-MS analyses.

A light- and electron-microscopic study on a vesicular-arbuscular host-fungus interaction in gametophytes and young sporophytes of the Gleicheniaceae (Filicales)

Gametophytes and primary roots of young sporophytes of the Gleicheniaceae were studied by means of light- and electron microscopy. An aseptate fungus invaded the gametophyte tissue through the rhizoids. The fungus spread within the thickened midrib forming intracellular hyphal coils. The latter gave rise regularly to arbuscules which were cytoplasmic in the young part of the midrib. In the older midrib, arbuscules degenerated and vesicles occurred. With arbuscular development, host cytoplasm and cell organelles increased and starch disappeared from plastids. The fungus formed globose spores inside the rhizoids. The gametophyte fungus did not transverse the gametophyte- sporophyte junction. Primary roots shorter than 2 mm were not infected. Primary roots longer than 2 mm showed vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza with a completely intracellular development of the fungus.