• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.194-201
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• 2011

In order to acquire information on chloroplast DNA markers to evaluate the genetic diversity of evergreen broad leaved plants, we investigated the intraspecific variation of cpDNA in eight non-coding regions of nine species commonly distributed in East Asia. Although no variations were detected in psbA-trnH, rpoB-trnC, rpl16 and atpB-rbcL regions, a relatively large amount of intraspecific variations was detected in the psbC-trnS, rps16 and trnL-F regions. These results suggested that these three cpDNA markers are suitable to assess genetic diversity of the species investigated in this study. In contrast, intraspecific variations were detected in seven taxa except Hedera rhombea and Neolitsea aciculata. Neolitsea sericea and the taxa of Quercus had many polymorphic sites.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.259-266
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• 2011

Elsholtzia hallasanensis, E. springia, and E. splendens var. fasciflora (Lamiaceae) were reported recently as new species or new varieties of E. splendens according to their morphological characteristics. To reappraise the taxonomic status of these additional taxa and to determine the relationships between all Korean Elsholtzia taxa except E. saxatilis, which is distributed in North Korea, molecular studies based on the nrDNA (ITS) and cpDNA (rpl16, and trnH-psbA) sequences of seven taxa of Elsholtzia and one outgroup were carried out. The molecular data support that E. angustifolia and E. minima are distinct species from E. splendens and E. ciliata, respectively, because they have several private marker genes and show monophyly. The molecular data also support that E. splendens has a very close taxonomic relationship with both E. hallasanensis and E. springia. We found that E. splendens var. fasciflora, with multiple inflorescence, was based on several private marker genes and on the monophyly of its trees, suggesting that it can be considered as a variety. Elsholtzia springia, with the same sequences and the same morphological characteristics with E. hallasanensis after transplanting, should be treated as a synonym of E. hallasanensis. Moreover, we consider the taxonomic status of E. hallasanensis as E. splendens var. hallasanensis (Y. Lee) N.S. Lee & C.S. Lee, stat. nov.