Mr. Saroj Ruchisansakun - Mahidol University

Abstract from the 15 th Flora of Thailand meeting
A preliminary study on the molecular phylogeny of Balsaminaceae in Thailand
Saroj Ruchisansakun 1 , Thaya Jenjittikul 1 , Piyakaset Suksathan 2 , Jiranan Techaprasarn 3 , Pramote Triboun 4
1 Department of Plant Science, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
2 Herbarium, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Chiang Mai
3 National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, KlongLuang, PathumThani
4 Bangkok Herbarium, Princess Sirindhorn Herbarium Building, Plant Variety Protection Division, Department of
Agriculture, Bangkok
Balsaminaceae, mainly an Old World tropics and subtropics family, comprises more than 1,000 species
in 2 genera. The previous molecular phylogenetic studies included only a very limited sample of Indo-­‐Chinese,
especially Thai taxa. To accomplish understanding of the family, relationships among Thai and worldwide taxa
were analysed using parsimony based phylogenetic analyses of nuclear DNA sequence data, internal
transcribed spacers (ITS), for 168 ingroup samples representing 1 American, 3 Europian and central Asian, 28
African, 19 Malagasy, 12 Indian, 48 Chinese, 1 Japanese, and 56 SE Asian (50 Thai) species.The preliminary
results show that the Thai Impatienswere evolved from different lineages. Relationships between main clades
remain unclear. However, a number of strongly supported monophyletic groups can be recognized and
characterized by vegetative and reproductive characters.
KEY WORDS: Balsaminaceae, ITS, Thailand