Divergence time estimation of an ancient relict genus Mankyua (Ophioglossaceae) on the young volcanic Jejudo Island in Korea

Mankyua chejuense is the only member of the monotypic genus Mankyua (Ophioglossaceae) and is endemic to Jejudo Island, Korea. To determine the precise phylogenetic position of M. chejuense, two cpDNA regions of 42 accessions representing major members of lycophytes are obtained from GenBank and analyzed using three phylogenetic analyses (maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference). In addition, the divergence time is estimated based on a relaxed molecular clock using four fossil calibration points. The phylogenetic position of Mankyua still appears to be uncertain, representing either the earliest diverged lineage within Ophioglossaceae or a sister to the clade containing Ophioglossum and Helminthostachys. The most recent common ancestor of Ophioglossaceae and its sister lineage, Psilotum, was estimated to be 256 Ma, while the earliest divergence of Mankyua was estimated to be 195 Ma in the early Jurassic.