East asian-eastern north american disjunction in the Onoclea sensibilis species complex: vicariance or peripatry?

Disjunction between East Asian and eastern North American plants has been recognized since the time of Darwin. Although there is considerable evidence for congruent vicariance associated with late Neogene/Quaternary cooling among angiosperms, similar studies specific fern families (e.g., Osmundaceae Martinov) have appeared incongruous this pattern. Pteridologists continue to debate whether long-distance dispersal wind-blown spores could produced intercontinental disjunctions ferns. To date, however, state-of-the-art historical biogeographical approaches not applied problem. In investigation, multiple chloroplast gene (rbcL, atpA, atpB, matK) sequences ferns in family Onocleaceae Pic. Serm. are drawn from GenBank, including those recently sequenced genome O. sensibilis L. var. interrupta Maxim., used create molecular phylogenies using Bayesian (BEAUTi BEAST) techniques. Using contemporary relaxed clock divergence estimation fossil calibration, estimates populations Onoclea species complex consistently reconstructed as Pliocene (ca. 5 – 3.4 Ma), best-fitting biogeographic model a DIVA-like (exclusively vicariant) BIOGEOBEARS RASP4, low probability peripatry. Accordingly, these data appear pattern observed despite propensity pteridophytes. The lack peripatry lineage may be related presence short-lived green onocleoid ferns; hypothesis requires further investigation.