UNCOVERING TAXONOMIC CONFUSION IN COSTUS: MOLECULAR EVIDENCE FOR MISIDENTIFICATION BETWEEN C. afer AND C. lucanusianus IN THE BOGOR BOTANIC GARDEN LIVING COLLECTION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55981/floribunda.2025.12887Keywords:
BLAST analysis, botanic garden curation, DNA barcoding, ITS region, phylogeneticAbstract
Accurate species identification is critical for the integrity of botanical collections, especially when morphological similarities lead to taxonomic confusion. This study investigates the misidentification between Costus afer and C. lucanusianus in the living collection of the Bogor Botanic Garden using molecular evidence. Leaf samples of both taxa were subjected to DNA extraction, PCR amplification of the ITS region, and Sanger sequencing. BLAST analysis confirmed all sequences belonged to the genus Costus, with high identity scores and E-values of 0.0, indicating significant homology. Sequence alignment revealed 208 variable and 500 conserved sites across 731 bp. Phylogenetic analysis using the Maximum Likelihood method (MEGA 12) showed that both Bogor accessions clustered within the C. afer clade. Notably, the sample labeled C. lucanusianus grouped with C. afer (AY972934.1 and KJ011425.1), suggesting misidentification. These results are consistent with previous morphological assessments and highlight the effectiveness of DNA barcoding in resolving taxonomic ambiguities. The study underscores the importance of molecular verification in botanical gardens to support accurate species documentation and conservation.
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