Abstract: To identify Apoacynum venetum and its confusable species on the molecular level, rDNA ITS (including ITS1, 5.8 s and ITS2) and cpDNA trnL intron as well as trnL-F non-coding region from A. venetum and its confusable species were sequenced and analyzed in this study. Results showed that ITS sequences from all samples of A. venetum were the same as those from all samples of Poacynum hendersonii, but differed from that of A. cannabinum at 13 sites in ITS1 region and 10 sites in ITS2 region. In trnL intron and trnL-F non-coding region, A. venetum differed from P. hendersonii at 3 sites while from A. cannabinum at 23 sites; In addition, P. hendersonii was different from A. cannabinum at 20 sites. The results demonstrated that ITS sequence could be used for the identification of “Luobuma” of China from A.cannabinum, and sequences of trnL intron and trnL-F cpDNA could be used for the identification among A. venetum, P. hendersonii and A. cannabinum.

Key words: Apoacynum venetum, P. hendersonii, A. cannabinum, ITS, trnL intron, trnL-F non-coding region, DNA molecular identification