DOI: 10.5061/dryad.ngf1vhj0b
title: Data from: The supposedly well-known carbonate indicator Tortella tortuosa (Pottiaceae, Bryophyta) split into eight species in Europe

description: We present a first treatment of the Tortella tortuosa complex for Europe.
 We analysed molecular relationships based on the nuclear ITS and the
 plastid atpB-rbcL and rps4 in a network context and thereafter
 characterized the identified entities by their morphology. We found eight
 morphologically and molecularly distinct entities at the species level,
 which are also supported in ASAP analyses of the molecular data; one
 species includes two varieties. In some cases, nuclear and plastid data
 suggest different relationships and we found a few likely recent hybrid
 collections. To the main characters of taxonomic importance belong stem
 anatomy, leaf shape and papillosity. We describe three species as new: T.
 commutata (a widespread plant; including the new var. valida), T.
 dolomitica (known only from the Alps) and T. splendida (an Arctic-alpine
 element), replacing T. arctica auct. For T. angustifolia and T. robusta
 (both montane) new combinations at the species level are provided.
 Tortella bambergeri (a submediterranean element), T. fleischeri (an Alpine
 element, recurring in Scotland) and T. tortuosa s. str. (widespread)
 complete this informal group of morphologically similar and partly related
 species. The species differ in ecological requirements and distribution
 areas, although mixed stands of two or three species are frequent. The
 area richest in species in Europe is the Alps with all eight species,
 whereas we found only four from Scandinavia.
description: In total, 99
 <em>Tortella tortuosa</em> complex specimens were included in
 the molecular portion of this study, including 72 specimens that were
 included in earlier <em>Tortella</em> studies by the authors,
 five specimens which sequences were downloaded from GenBank and 22
 specimens which sequences were newly generated for the present study. We
 studied the nuclear internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 (ITS) and the
 plastid <em>atp</em>B-<em>rbc</em>L spacer
 (<em>atp</em>B-<em>rbc</em>L) and the
 <em>rps</em>4 gene +<em>
 trn</em>S-<em>rps</em>4 spacer
 (<em>rps</em>4). The new sequences were generated as described
 by Hedenäs (2015: Tortella rigens (Bryophyta, Pottiaceae): relationships,
 regional variation, and conservation aspects. – Pl. Syst. Evol. 301:
 1361-1375.). In the final data set, all three sequences were available for
 all species except <em>T. alpicola</em> and <em>T.
 spitsbergensis</em>, for which<em> rps</em>4 was
 missing. Nucleotide sequence fragments were edited and
 assembled for each DNA region using PhyDE® 0.9971 (http://www.phyde.de/index.html; accessed 22 November 2018). The assembled sequences were aligned manually in PhyDE®. Regions of partially incomplete data in the beginning and end of the sequences were identified and were excluded from subsequent analyses. Gaps were coded using the simple indel coding of Simmons and Ochoterena (2000) in SeqState (Müller 2005).
description: The data includes two
 files: tort_final_ITS_sic.fas: ITS alignment with base
 positions 1-781 and indel coding at positions
 783-822. tort_final_CHL_sic.fas: (A) atpB-rbcL alignment
 with base positions 1-565 and indel coding at positions 567-581; (B) rps4
 alignment with base positions 583-1184 and indel coding at position
 1186.  The files are in fasta format and
 can be opened by most softwares used in molecular analyses.