Phylogenetic position of Phlojodicarpus villosus (Apiaceae) based on ITS and trnH-psbA nucleotide sequences

Abstract

The aim of our work was to obtain chloroplast (trnH-psbA) and nuclear (ITS1-ITS2) DNA nucleotide sequences and identify the phylogenetic position of Phlojodicarpus villosus (Apiaceae). This species of vascular plants is represented in the Urals by isolated relic populations and is included in the regional Red Data Books. There is no data on P. villosus nucleotide sequences in the international open genetic databases. We studied two herbarium specimens of P. villosus, one collected from the Ural part of its range in the Komi Republic (Northern Urals) and the second collected from the main part of its range in the Magadan Region (Kolyma Highlands). Combining nuclear and chloroplast markers made it possible to reliably determine phylogenetic position of P. villosus within the tribe Selineae (subfamily Apioideae, family Apiaceae). We found ITS1-ITS2 and trnH-psbA nucleotide sequences to be sufficiently informative to identify specimens of this genus. High polymorphism of P. villosus sequences obtained from different parts of its range (Northern Urals and Kolyma Highlands) and the presence of evolutionary events (deletions) require more detail study of P. villosus and other Phlojodicarpus taxa by DNA barcoding methods.