Application of pet G-trn P sequence to systematic study of Chinese Cupressus species

Abstract

Chinese Cupressus L. includes five species. The molecular phylogenetic relationships of the Cupressus species and Chamaecyparis L. were determined by comparing 417%479 bp of chloroplast petG-trnP intergenic spacer sequence. In PAUP* analysis, Platycladus orientalis was used as the functional out group. By using the maximum likelihood method 1 077 trees were examined and the result showed that one tree had a best score of Ln=2 232.47. The phylogenetic tree clearly showed that Chamaecyparis nootkatensis was diverged from other Chamaecyparis species. Based on the results, together with evidences from other aspects, we consider that Cupressus funebris and Chamaecyparis nootkatensis should be placed in the genus Cupressus. The use of cpDNA intergenic spacer petG-trnP in Cupressus was also discussed.