DNA barcoding clubbed with morphomatrix of commonly distributed species of Myristicaceae from North East India

The depauperate and paleopolyploid family Myristicaceae face challenges for correct species identification. Majority rule consensus trees of morphomatrix of NER species reflected diagnostic group traits (ca. 41.70%) and variable traits ( ca. 58.30%) respectively. Amplification and sequencing success rates with DNA barcode loci rbcL, matK and, trnL-F were > 90% while 45% and 76% with psbA-trnH, respectively in Horsfieldia and Knema. 178 sequences of 8 species of the region were submitted to GenBank including trnL-F spacer mostly for the first time. The highest parsimony informative sites were exhibited by trnL-F and highest variable sites by matK. Mean inter-specific distances with trnL-F, matK + trnL-F in Horsfieldia and with psbA-trnH, rbcL + trnL-F in Knema were ≥ 2 times mean intraspecific distances. trnL-F in Horsfieldia and rbcL + trnL-F in Knema, and trnL-F + psbA-trnH in Horsfieldia and Knema showed barcode gaps. Identification success by 'best match' was 98% with matK + trnL-F and 96-97% with trnL-F + psbA-trnH in Horsfieldia and Knema. The Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian Inference (BI) trees with trnL-F and BI tree with trnL-F + psbA-trnH was monophyletic and resolved 100% and 60% species. Dynamic DNA QR codes generated with Knema erratica-matK, Horsfieldia kingii-psbA-trnH, Endocomia macrocoma subsp. prainii-trnL-F. The loci trnL-F, trnL-F + psbA-trnH were exhibited as candidate barcodes, additionally matK + trnL-F for Horsfieldia and rbcL + trnL-F for Knema. The DNA barcode library of NER Myristicaceae would aid in species identification, ecological variation and conservation biology.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-025-04625-7.