• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.45 no.1
• /
• pp.36-44
• /
• 2015

The nucleotide sequences of six markers, including nuclear ITS, chloroplast matK, rbcL, atpF-H, psbK-I and psbA-trnH, were analyzed for the plants known as Melia toosendan collected in Southwest China; M. azadarach planted in Southeast China, Korea and India; and species related to Sapindaceae in order to clarify the species boundary between M. toosendan and M. azadarach. The result of a phylogenetic analysis using the nuclear ITS and five chloroplast marker sequences determined that the plants known as M. toosendan and M. azadarach are the same species. These two species have been treated as a single species or as two different species depending on the researcher. The result of the present study supports the contention that the two species are the same. In addition, a sister species to M. azadarach registered in various countries with various basionyms is Azadirachta indica, a well-known medicinal plant. It has previously been classified as a member of the genus Melia.