Abstract:
Cinnamomum verum is one of the most important spice species in Sri Lanka and it contributes
to 70% of the world bark production. There are 9 Cinnamomum species found in Sri Lanka. Although
it is a very important spice crop in Sri Lanka, the taxonomy of the species has a controversy. These
species are identified by the floral, foliar morphology and pollen morphology, ecophysiological features,
chemical and essential oil constituents and etc. A molecular technique to identify these species would
greatly facilitate identification of species correctly. Genetic variation among species of Cinnamomum: C.
verum, C. citriodorum, C. capparu-coronde, C. dubium, C. litseafolium, C. rivulorum, C. sinharajaense
and C. camphora found in Sri Lanka was studied by analyzing nucleotide sequence of different cpDNA
regions and an ITS region of the rDNA. The cpDNA regions studied were intergenic spacers between
trnL-trnF, trnT-trnL, trnH-psbA and trnL intron. We were able to identify a number of variable sites for
cpDNA sequences of trnL intron, trnL-trnF IGS, trnT-trnL IGS, trnH-psbA IGS and intergenic transcribed
spacer (ITS) regions of rDNA. Although there is not much variations among the cpDNA regions we
studied, it will contribute to the clarification of the genetic diversity of Sri Lankan Cinnamomum species
which have never been studied at the DNA level. Although there is not much cpDNA variation and it did
not provide much information for the taxonomy of Cinnamomum species in Sri Lanka. But the ITS region
of the rDNA was shown to be useful to identify species.
