Molecular Identification and Phylogenetic Placement of Rosa arabica Crép. (Rosaceae), a Critically Endangered Plant Species

The Egyptian narrowly endemic and critically endangered plant species Crép. was studied employing a taxonomic and molecular approach. Morphological investigations, distance analysis, and phylogenetic reconstruction revealed that is a distinct species with great affinity to and differentiated from . Molecular identification based on the sequences of multiple markers single or in combination ITS, K, L, and L-F succeeded in identifying at genus and species levels. We evaluated the potential of each marker and a combination of the nuclear ITS -Internal Transcribed Spacer- with one of the plastid markers, K, L, or L-F, to accurately identify species. All of them were successful in identifying . Classification based on DNA sequences shows that is placed within section in a clade comprising and . Moreover, is closely related to other European species. In conclusion, our results indicate that the four DNA markers can provide species resolution in the context of the genus and relatives, aiming to characterize morphology and genetic diversity in the ecological and economically important genus Rosa.