Profiling Genetic Variation: Divergence Patterns and Population Structure of Thailand's Endangered Celastrus paniculatus Willd.

This study examined genetic diversity in the endangered medicinal plant Celastrus paniculatus using 62 individual samples from seven natural populations in northern and northeastern Thailand to inform conservation strategies. The analysis of the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (rbcL) markers revealed 17 haplotypes (CpI1-CpI17) across these populations, with 15 being population-specific. The genetic diversity varied significantly among populations: CMI showed the highest diversity (Hd = 0.944 ± 0.070), while LEI and LPN displayed complete homogeneity. The haplotype network identified a central shared haplotype (CpI4), suggesting a common ancestry, with the PLK population showing a distinct genetic divergence through unique haplotypes separated by multiple mutation steps. Genetic distance calculations revealed close relationships between LEI and NPM populations (distance = 0.0004), with greater differentiation between PLK and other populations (distances > 0.005). Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the species integrity while highlighting population clusters, especially PLK in ITS analyses and LPN in rbcL analyses. This genetic structure information provides a foundation for targeted conservation planning. Results suggest that conservation efforts should prioritize both genetically diverse populations (like CMI and MKM) and genetically distinct ones (like PLK) to preserve the maximum evolutionary potential. This study delivers crucial molecular data for developing evidence-based conservation strategies to protect this valuable medicinal species from further decline.