Differences in morphological characteristics, photosynthetic capacity and Chloroplast genomes reveal molecular markers to distinguish Angelica sinensis, A. acutiloba and A. gigas

The distinct phenotypes of leaf shape and stem color can be used for species delimitation of the three species. The 3 genes (i.e., psbA, ndhB, and ycf15) can be used to distinguish A. sinensis from A. acutiloba and A. gigas using the agarose gel electrophoresis and the base sequence. The 7 genes (i.e., matK, psbN, ccsA, rps8, ndhF, ycf1, and ycf2) can accurately distinguish the three species using the base sequence. We establish a rapid and reliable multi-level identification system for the three Angelica species. This approach addresses critical challenges in medicinal plant taxonomy and supports quality control in herbal product industries.