DNA Barcoding of Five Medicinal Plants From Siwa Oasis, Egypt

Siwa Oasis is one of the depressions located in the northern part of the western desert of Egypt covering
almost 1000 Km2. The oasis land provides habitat for a diverse flora which became endangered after human
activity. Collection and surveying of the plant species that exist in the Oasis and the surrounding areas by
morphological and molecular means are important approaches. This study utilized DNA barcoding as a
rapid, reproducible and economic molecular tool for the discrimination and identification of five medicinal
plants in Siwa Oasis. I used rbcL+matK as a core barcode sites. Species identified during the course of this
study are Nitraria retusa, Cynara sibthorpiana, Capparis spinosa, Peganum harmala, Pergularia
tomentosa. This study is a first step toward the barcoding of all flora in Siwa Oasis and should help to
increase the awareness of plant biodiversity, not only in Siwa Oasis, but also in many other localities of
biodiversity in Egypt.

Keywords: DNA barcoding, rbcL, matK, medicinal plants, Siwa Oasis.
*Corresponding author: Tel.: 035429325
E-mail: abeer.mohamed@gmail.com