PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS AMONG CERTAIN SPECIES OF ASTRAGALUS L., 1753 (FABALES, FABACEAE) IN SOUTHEASTERN OF IRAQ

Abstract

    In the current study, eight species of Astragalus L.,1753 (Fabales, Fabaceae): A.annularis Forssk,1775, A. asterias Steven,1832, A. bruguieri Boiss.,1849, A. dactylocarpus Boiss., 1843, A. fasciculifolius Boiss.,1843, A. hamosus L.,1753, A. spinosus (Forssk.) Muschi., 1907 and A. tribuloides Delile,1813 in southeastern Iraq were investigated for molecular phylogenetic analysis. For this purpose, the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) was sequenced to examine the evolutionary relationships among the species. The species in two clades were separated based on proximity in the phylogenetic tree. The first clade consisted of three subclades: subclade I comprises three species, including A. asterias, A. tribuloides, and A. dactylocarpus; the relationship between them was 94% and 85%, respectively. Subclade II comprised only A. bruguieri, the resemblance of these subclades to subclade one was 78%. Two species were positioned within subclade III (A. faciculifolius and A. spinosus) with 98% similarity. The second clade included only two species, A.annularis and A. hamosus; with a similarity of 90%. The data obtained were reliable for their usability in solving taxonomic problems of the studied species.