Desmophlebium is a genus of . In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016, it is the only genus in the family Desmophlebiaceae.[ Other sources place it in a more widely defined Aspleniaceae.][
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Taxonomy
The family and genus were erected in 2016, following a molecular phylogenetic study. It was shown that the species previously known as Diplazium lechleri was sister to a clade formed by the families Hemidictyaceae and Aspleniaceae, considerably removed from the Athyriaceae where it had previously been classified. Accordingly, a new genus and family were created and Diplazium lechleri transferred to Desmophlebium lechleri. Another species was added to the genus on the basis of its morphology.[
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The generic name refers to the distinctive thickened vein running just inside the edge of a pinna (submarginal) connecting the ends of other veins. The authors derived it from the Ancient Greek δεσμός, , meaning 'band', combined with φλεβός, , meaning 'vein'.[ ( is the genitive of φλέψ, , 'vein'.][)
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In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I), the family Desmophlebiaceae is a member of the subclass Polypodiidae (the leptosporangiate ferns), order Polypodiales, suborder Aspleniineae – a group known informally as "eupolypods II".[ A consensus cladogram showing one hypothesis for its relationship to other families in the suborder is:][
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Species
, Plants of the World Online accepts two species:[
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Desmophlebium lechleri (Mett.) Mynssen, A.Vasco, Sylvestre, R.C.Moran & Rouhan
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Desmophlebium longisorum (Baker) Mynssen, A.Vasco, Sylvestre, R.C.Moran & Rouhan
