Molecular analysis of the section Sphagnum (Sphagnaceae): first study on Turkish bryophytes using nucleotide sequences of the trnL intron region

The genus Sphagnum is one of the richest taxa among the Turkish bryophytes. Up to now, it has been represented by 27 taxa in six sections (Sphagnum, Acutifolia, Squarrosa, Subsecunda, Cuspidata, and Rigida). In this study, an identification key for the section Sphagnum was prepared, and the section was investigated using phylogenetic analyses, with a main focus on Turkish bryophytes. This study provides the first sequence data of the trnL intron region for five species of the section Sphagnum from Turkey (namely S. centrale, S. divinum, S. medium, S. palustre, and S. papillosum) to be used in future studies and gives valuable information about their phylogenetic relationships. However, further studies on Turkish members of the section Sphagnum using more specimens and molecular markers should be performed to obtain more detailed information regarding the phylogenetic relationships among them.