Resolving relationships within the hornwort genus Anthoceros

The family Anthocerotaceae is amongst the last remaining hornwort families to be tested for their monophyly. The recent publication of genomes for A. punctatus, A. agrestis and A. angustus has emphasized the need to understand generic and species boundaries within the family. Twenty-eight taxa within the family and three chloroplast genes were used to reconstruct a phylogeny, which supports a monophyletic Anthocerotaceae. Within the family, four clades are recognised, comprising subgenus Anthoceros, subgenus Indici, subg. nov, subgenus Australienses, subg. nov. and subgenus Sphaerosporoceros. Species currently circumscribed as Folioceros also form a separate clade, but as most taxa within the genus, including the type species, are yet to be sequenced no formal decisions have been made for this group.