Botanical and genetic characterization of Hydrocotyle umbellata L. cultivated in Egypt

Hydrocotyle umbellata L. is a creeping aquatic herb belonging to family Araliaceae. The plant has been used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and memory stimulant herb. This study targets the botanical features of the leaf, rhizome and roots, in addition to DNA fingerprinting using rapid amplified (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. Microscopically, leaves and rhizomes are characterized by numerous brown schizogenous ducts containing volatile oils. On the other hand, a total of 34 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were identified using seven random decamer primers and a total of 15 inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were identified using five decamer random primers. Both the botanical study and DNA fingerprinting could be useful in identification and authentication of the plant.