The Evolution and Diversification of the Lypopods

1 Pages·2001·0.49 MB·English

by  W Carl Taylor

—
American Fern
Journal 9l(3):73 (2001)
The and Lypopods
Evolution Diversification of the
The lycopods, diverse and ancient group of pteridophytes, form a major
a
lineage of vascular plants. This lineage includes three orders, Lycopodiales,
and Each order contains a single extant family, but
Selaginellales, Isoetales,
Devonian
the group has a long and diverse fossil record beginning in the or
many
possibly late Silurian. This fossil record is replete with curious forms
have long captured the interest and imagination of those interested in
that
plant evolution. Although lycopods have attracted the attention of paleobota-
many
few
and morphologists years, only within the last years
nists for is
it
and
that systematists have initiated studies to critically evaluate taxa their
modes of speciation. While there agreement that the lycopods form a clade
is
some
argument
from other vascular plants, there in the interpre-
distinct all is
and evolution within the lycopod lineage. This an
tation of the diversity is
We
exciting time for systematic biologists. are beginning to uncover, discover,
and modes and mechanisms of divergent and reticulate evolution
explore the
and amazing
lycopods, revealing their incredibly long history diversity.
in the
on
The following papers are facsimiles of oral presentations given 4
five
symposium *The Evolution and Diversification of
August entitled
1999, in a
Lycopods." This symposium, a part of the XVI International Botanical Con-
the
held Louis, Missouri, brought leading researchers together to pre-
gress in
St,
sent their current findings relevant to the phylogeny of the lycopods. Niklas
and symposium.
Wikstrom, Lea Grauvogel-Stamm, Carl Taylor organized the
The authors express their gratitude to Brent D. Mishler, the Green Plant
Phylogeny Research Coordination Group, the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the organizers
and The
XVI International Congress for their assistance support. authors
of the
the American Fern Society, Inc. for sponsoring the publi-
are also grateful to
Milwaukee
Department Botany, Pub-
papers. W, Carl Taylor, of
cation of their
WI
53233
Museum, Milwaukee,
lic
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