Biosystematics and evolutionary studies in Indian Drimia species

Abstract

The taxonomic position and genetic relationship within Indian Drimia species is controversial due to their morphological similarities and genomic complexities. The present work gives an insight on the genetic relationship between Indian Drimia species on the basis of their karyotype, pollen morphology, flower opening characteristics, hybridization behavior, and by use of DNA sequence of two molecular markers (internal transcribed spacers [ITS] and maturase K [matK]). The karyotypic studies of Indian Drimia species revealed various polyploid forms making their identification and delimitation more difficult. The five species of Indian Drimia are grouped into two complexes, indica complex and wightii complex on the basis of their pollen morphology, karyotype, and hybridization behavior. These two groups were found to be evolving separately. The cytomorphological studies of wightii complex revealed that it is evolving through polyploid and chromosome repatterning, while indica complex have adapted polyploid as well as hybridization for evolution. Phylogeny obtained from DNA sequences of molecular markers (ITS and matK) confirmed that the indica complex and wightii complex are evolving parallely, by grouping them in two clusters. Thus, a combination of conventional and molecular methods proved to be of great use for delimiting a small but complex group of Indian Drimia species.

A molecular phylogeny of the genus Drimia (Asparagaceae: Scilloideae: Urgineeae) in India inferred from non-coding chloroplast and nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences

“…1), thereby supporting the theory that India may be a secondary centre of evolution for this genus 19 . A previous analysis of systematic relationship among five Indian taxa of Drimia based on ITS and mat K DNA sequence variations 30 did not include the two important Indian taxa i.e. D .…”

“…6 inferred that, morphological characterization alone may not be sufficient to delimit interspecies relationship in this genus. To address this problem, a few studies have been conducted so far based on cytotaxonomy, karyotype, palynology, interspecific hybridization, nuclear DNA content, RAPD and SRAP markers, ITS and mat K sequence data 6,7,30–33 . However, the phylogenetic relationships among the Indian members of Drimia still remain unclear.…”

Karyotypic Variations in Different Accessions of <i>Urginea indica</i> (Roxb) Kunth. and <i>Urginea wightii</i> Lakshmin. Hyacinthaceae

“…According to Desai et al (2012), the karyotype studies of Indian Drimia species revealed polyploidy, making their identification more difficult.…”

Incidence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Indian Squill: Drimia indica from Coastal Sand Dunes of Konkan, India

“…Although, the Indian squill: D. indica has been investigated for various parameters [3], [4], [5], [16], [20], [28], [29], [30], [31], [32], [33], [36], [39] howerver the AM fungal status in it has been found quite ignored with very few exceptions. Earlier studies of Parameswaran and Augustine [22], suggested AM fungal distribution and ecology of Urginea indica in scrub jungle from Tamil Nadu and also in few populations by Shiva Kameshwari [17] in non-coastal sand dune regions.…”

“…The genus Drimia (Syn. Urginea) has been extensively studied for biosystematics [16], [32], [33]; cytological [3], [28], [29], [30], [36], [39]; cytotaxonomical-genetical aspects [4], [31] and very recently for DNA bar-coding as well as for molecular markers (ITS and matK) [5], [20]. Ethno-medicinally bulbs of D. indica has proved antiulcerous, antinematodal, antitumorous, anthelmintic antiarthrities properties and also used to cure skin diseases like warts, abscesses, boils, cardiac diseases, antidote to scorpion sting [18].…”