Chloroplast DNA marker as a tool to study the molecular phylogeny of Indian Barleria L. (Acanthaceae)

Barleria is one of the largest and diversified genus of family Acanthaceae comprising more than 300 species. An enormous repertoire of phytochemicals found within this genus makes it medicinally important taxon. Barleria is classified into two sub-genera i.e., Barleria and Prionitis. However, due to high morphological variability observed within this genus,the sub-generic classification and phylogenetic relationship among different Barleria species remain ambiguous and unclear. Thus, molecular approach was attempted to resolve these discrepancies associated with morphology based classification. In India, Barleria is represented by more than 31 taxa. A high degree of regional endemism has also been observed among different species of this genus. Recent changes in the infra generic classification of Barleria genus also necessitate a thorough study of the group in India as well. Thus, in the present work the systematic position of Indian Barleria was examined with chloroplast (cp) locus i.e., rbcL along with a detailed analysis on the effect of changed circumscription on Indian taxa. Though infra generic classification involving rbcL locus could not be resolved pertaining to a small sample size, we observed genus Barleria as a monophyletic group even after adding Indian taxa.