Identification of Nepeta olgae Regel and phylogenetic status of some genera in subtribe Nepetinae (Lamiaceae) using DNA markers

The species level diversity is the reference unit for biodiversity accounting, should be systematized and include full information about the species. Reliable identification of any species is c r tical for a large-scale biodiversity monitoring and conservation. A DNA bar code is a DNA sequence that identifies a species by comparing the sequence of an unknown species with barcodes of a known species se quence database. Accurate identification of important plants is esse ntial for their conservation, inventory. The species diversity asse ssing exampled on the subtribe Nepetinae (Lamiaceae) representatives, gro wing in Uzbekistan is given, using DNA barcoding method. The study was ai med to identify indigenous important plants with the nuclear (ITS) and plastid (matK, rbcL, trnL-F) genomes. This work demonstrates the p hylogenetic relationships of some genera within the subtribe Ne petinae Coss. & Germ. (Lamiaceae), based on ITS locus gene. All results i ndicate that the DNA barcoding tool can be successfully used to reliably identify important plants, to inventory the botanical resources of Uzb ekistan and to create a reference library of DNA barcodes. So, the combinat ion of three-four locus gene is a good candidate for this approach.


Introduction
According to modern estimates, there are about 308 312 species of vascular plants on Earth [1]. More than 20,000 (40%) species are endangered in nature: 4337 species are assigned the category Critically Endangered (CR, endangered), 7925 species -Endangered (EN, endangered) and 8098 species -Vulnerable (VU, vulnerable). The major threat factors include habitat transformation, overexploitation of natural resources, the spread of invasive alien species, environmental pollution and climate change [2]. Flora of Uzbekistan is rich in plant species diversity. It accounts over 4400 species of vascular plants, and includes a rare, relict species groups (10-12% of the flora of Uzbekistan), 378 taxa are considered as a national endemics, the study of which makes possible to assess the processes of speciation in this region [3]. The disappearance of the vital components of biodiversity is one of the greatest threats for humanity.
Rare and endangered species require a special attention, regular monitoring of their natural populations and comprehensive study by classical taxonomy methods, as well as molecular genetic methods. Therefore, the rare important species of the subtribe Nepetinae Coss. & Germ. (Lamiaceae) growing in Uzbekistan were chosen as objects of this study. Some genera that represent the subtribe Nepetinae in Uzbekistan are Nepeta L., Dracocephalum L., Drepanocaryum Pojark., Lophanthus Adans., Hyssopus L., Lallemantia Fisch. et C.A. Mey.

Results and discussion
The important and rare represents of the genera Nepeta, Dracocephalum, Lallemantia included in subtribe Nepetinae (Lamiaceae) growing in Uzbekistan were used as a research material. Lamiaceae are interesting due to a huge amount of biologically active compounds with a wide spectrum of action, medicinal and aromatic plants are using in traditional and modern medicine, pharmaceutics.
The genus Nepeta L. is one of the largest genus of subfamily Nepetoideae, tribe Mentheae (Lamiaceae) and accounts approximately 300 species, distributed in Eurasia [4]. It represents by 18 described species in Uzbekistan [5]. Nepeta olgae Regel is a member of this genus, endemic of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan). The collection of the genus in the National Herbarium of Uzbekistan (TASH) accounts 1333 specimens corresponding to 32 taxa collected around all regions of Central Asia.
The world flora accounts more than 70 species of the genus Dracocephalum L., Central Asia flora-26 species, 16 species are expected to grow in Uzbekistan, including Dracocephalum adylovii I.I. Malzev [6]. The fund of the National Herbarium of Uzbekistan (TASH) contains more than 1738 herbarium specimens of Dracocephalum corresponding to 32 taxa collected in Central Asia.
The genus Lallemantia accounts five species native to central and southwestern Asia. In the flora of Uzbekistan the genus represents by the single species Lallemantia royleana.