PHYLOGENY OF Melodinus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr. FROM VIETNAM BASED ON CHLOROPLAST SEQUENCES

Abstract

To support the conservation of plant resource diversity, it is necessary to prioritize the development, identification, and phylogenetic relationships of the plant for sustainable development. The genus Melodinus is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. Due to its medicinal potential, the genus Melodinus is highly exploited, and it therefore provides a good example of applying scientific research to identify species and determine their genetic relationships for conservation and resource exploitation. The study using molecular data from three DNA regions (matK, rbcL, and trnH-psbA) supported the monophyly of Melodinus. The M. cochinchinensis from Vietnam and China are closely related. There are some genetic variations in the sequences of Melodinus cochinchinensis from Belgium versus Asiatic M. cochinchinensis, as well as the phylogenetic position of the species, suggesting the possibility of misidentification of M. cochinchinensis from Belgium. The Australian Melodinus is not a monophyletic group. Further study is necessary to resolve the phylogenetic relationship of Australian Melodinus.