OBJECTIVETo study the phylogeny relationship and molecular identification of 10 species from Huperzia (Huperziaceae) based on matK gene sequences data.

METHODTotal DNA of nine species from Huperzia was extracted; matK gene sequence was amplified by PCR. PCR product was directly sequenced after purification.

RESULTThe chloroplast matK gene nucleotide sequences from 9 species of Huperzia species were sequenced. The matK gene nucleotide sequences length was 1 589 bp. Analysis with Huperzia lucidula matK gene nucleotide sequences (download from GenBank) and taking Lycopodiella cernua as outgroup, Maximum Parsimony, Neighbor-Joining analyses and genetic distances were conducted using MEGA 3.1 software. 35 variable sites and 35 parsimony informative sites have been found. Pairwise genetic distances among 10 species of Huperzia was 1.59% - 0.25%.

CONCLUSIONThe results were consistent with the taxonomy in morphological of Huperzia. But H. longipetiolata and H. serrata were resolved into in different clade. There are 19 different sites of matK gene sequences between H. longipetiolata and H. serrata, the genetic distances is 0.121%. It is suggested H. longipetiolata should be as an independent species.