We examined the global historical biogeography of grammitid ferns (Polypodiaceae) within a phylogenetic context. We inferred phylogenetic relationships of 190 species representing 31 of the 33 currently recognized genera of grammitid ferns by analyzing DNA sequence variation of five plastid DNA regions. We estimated the ages of cladogenetic events on an inferred phylogeny using secondary fossil calibration points. Historical biogeographical patterns were inferred via ancestral area reconstruction. Our results supported four large-scale phylogenetic and biogeographic patterns: (1) a monophyletic grammitid clade that arose among Neotropical polypod ancestors about 31.4 Ma; (2) a paraphyletic assemblage of clades distributed in the Neotropics and the Afro-Malagasy region; (3) a large clade distributed throughout the Asia-Malesia-Pacific region that originated about 23.4 Ma; and, (4) an Australian or New Zealand origin of the circumaustral genus Notogrammitis. Most genera were supported as monophyletic except for Grammitis, Oreogrammitis, Radiogrammitis, and Zygophlebia. Grammitid ferns are a well-supported monophyletic group with two biogeographically distinct lineages: a primarily Neotropical grade exhibiting several independent successful colonizations to the Afro-Malagasy region and a primarily Paleotropical clade exhibiting multiple independent dispersals to remote Pacific islands and temperate, austral regions.
Keywords: Biogeography; Epiphytes; Grammitid ferns; Phylogeny; Polypodiaceae.
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