ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore morphology and infrared spectrum identification evidence of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis and its closely relative species, and further analyze their genetic relationship to provide basis for the development and utilization of medicinal plant resources of genus Paris. Methods: The morphology and infrared spectrum of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis and its closely relative species were studied systematically and compared with each other. The original infrared spectra data were pretreated by automatic baseline correction, automatic smoothing, ordinate normalization, and second derivative, and analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discrimination analysis (PLS-DA), and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Results: There were typical characteristics of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis and its closely relative species, such as plant size, leaves, veins, sepals, petals, flower pavilions and stamens, which could provide morphological identification evidence. There were obviously differences of the second derivative in 3 000-2 000 cm-1 and the fingerprint in 1 800-500 cm-1 in the six types of genus Paris. Both HCA and PLS-DA could better distinguish Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis and its closely relative species, which could provide an infrared spectral identified evidence. The Results: of HCA showed that P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, P. polyphylla var. chinensis, P. polyphylla, P. polyphylla var. stenophylla and P. polyphylla var. nana were relatively close. Conclusion: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) combined with original plant morphological identification can quickly identify P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis and its closely relative species, which will provide a scientific basis for the cultivation, clinical application, and resource development of genus Paris.