Abstract
In order to clarify the systematics of genus Illicium in Taiwan, a total of 279 samples of six Illicium taxa from Taiwan and Japan were collected for morphological and molecular analyses. The results could be the references for future studies of conservation biology and domestication for food and medicine. Seven morphological characters including leaf length, carpel number, length of follicle apex, height of fruit, length of follicle, width of follicle, and pollen morphology were observed and measured. Combined morphological and molecular results indicated that I. anisatum fromTaiwan and Japan should be different taxa. Based on analyzing the length of follicle apexes, observing pollen aperture and sculpture, and molecular evidence, we prove that I. tashiroi fromTaiwan (Mt. Anma) and Japan (Iriomote Island and Ishigaki Island) should be belonging to different texa. Based on the sequences of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), that the result indicated the “pink-flowered Illicium” has multiple sequences using cloning technique. In addition, multiple sequences of nrDNA ITS from “pink-flowered Illicium” were identified same specific sequences found in I. arborescens and I. tashiroi, respectively. Based on the morphological and molecular evidence, it is indicated that the “pink-flowered Illicium” is a natural hybrid between I. arborescens and I. tashiroi, and provisionally named as Illicium × rubellum Lu.