A PRELIMINARILY PHYLOGENY STUDY OF THE ERIOBOTRYA BASED ON THE ITS SEQUENCES

Based on the rDNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS) sequences, phylogenetic relationships of Eriobotrya genus were studied. A phylogenetic tree of 15 loquat species was generated using Photinieae serrulaia L. and Rhaphiolepis indica (L.) Lindl. as outgroups. The result showed that Eriobotrya Lindl. species formed a monophyletic group, closely related to Rhaphiolepis indica instead of Photinieae serrulaia.
In the consensus tree, Eriobotrya Lindl. was divided into two main clades. Seguin Loquat (E. seguinii Card), Henry Loquat (E. henryi Nakai ) formed a clade which may be the primitive taxa in loquat (Eriobotrya Lindl.). Another clade included the other taxas in four groups. Tibet Loquat E. elliptica Lindl., Bengal Loquat (E. bengalensis Hook.f.). Narrowleaf Bengal Loquat (forma angustifolia Vidal) formed a group. Malipo Loquat (E. malipoensis Kuan), Daduhe Loquat (var. dadunensis H.Z. Zhang), Loquat (E. japonica Lindl.) formed a group. Bigflow Loquat (E. cavaleriei Rehd), Fragrant Loquat (E. fragrans Champ) formed a group. Taiwan Loquat (E. deflexa Nakai), Kokshun Loquat (var. buisanensis NaKai) and Salwin Loquat (E. salwinensis Hand-Mazz) formed a group. Taiwan Loquat (E. deflexa Nakai) and Kokshun Loquat (var. buisanensis NaKa) may be the most recent species in the genus Eriobotrya.