Taxonomic publications: past and future - Senckenberg Museum

Burckhardt & Mühlethaler (eds): 8 th GfBS Annual Conference Abstracts 26
DNA taxonomy of the genus Galanthus, species identification and illegal trade
Nikolai Friesen
The genus Galanthus L. comprises 19 species and occurs naturally in Europe,
Turkey and in the Caucasus. Snowdrops are popular garden plants and millions of
bulbs are sold annually, mainly G. nivalis, G. elwesii and G. woronowii. Most of the
bulbs of G. elwesii and G. woronowii are collected in the wild in Georgia and Turkey,
for which collecting and trade the quota is fixed, whereas G. nivalis bulbs are mostly
cultivated. Galanthus species are presently on CITES Appendix II. Sometimes other
species are also collected, such as those for which trade has been banned, or G.
elwesii and G. woronowii are over collected, and surplus declared as G. nivalis. The
monitoring of trade in Galanthus is very difficult, as plants are usually imported as
bulbs and only very limited identification can be undertaken at this stage of the life
cycle. The custom-houses are interested in quick species identification methods for
the genus based on species specific DNA PCR-Marker.
The DNA-based taxonomy of the genus Galanthus was investigated. Species of the
genus Galanthus are divided into the five alliances: krasnovii-, nivalis-, elwesii-,
woronowii- and alpinus-group. The species Galanthus nivalis, G. elwesii and G.
woronowii, which are important for commercial trade, are genetically clearly different
and build monophyletic clades on the cpDNA and nrDNA analysis. Rapid species
identification method on the base of the species unique DNA PCR-Marker is
developed. Primers of 18-20 base pairs are designed to amplify some short, unique
fragment of DNA for most Galanthus species.
Org. Divers. Evol. 5, Electr. Suppl. 13 (2005)