Morphological innovation, ecological opportunity, and the radiation of a major vascular epiphyte lineage

The emergence of angiosperm-dominated tropical forests in the Cretaceous led to major shifts in the composition of biodiversity on Earth. Among these was the rise to prominence of epiphytic plant lineages, which today comprise an estimated one-quarter of tropical vascular plant diversity. Among the most successful epiphytic groups is the Polypodiaceae, which comprises an estimated 1500 species and displays a remarkable breadth of morphological and ecological diversity. Using a time-calibrated phylogeny for 417 species, we characterized macroevolutionary patterns in the family, identified shifts in diversification rate, and identified traits that are potential drivers of diversification. We find high diversification rates throughout the family, evidence for a radiation in a large clade of Paleotropical species, and support for increased rates of diversification associated with traits including chlorophyllous spores and noncordiform gametophytes. Contrary to previous hypotheses, our results indicate epiphytic species and groups with humus-collecting leaves diversify at lower rates than the family as a whole. We find that diversification rates in the Polypodiaceae are positively correlated with changes in elevation. Repeated successful exploration of novel habitat types, rather than morphological innovation, appears to be the primary driver of diversification in this group.