Abstract: Three DNA regions were sequenced for testing six fresh plant samples of Salvia species . These three DNA regions were nrDNA ITS ( nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer), chloroplast rpl16 ( the gene encoding ribosomal protein L16 ) , and trnL- trnF ( the cpDNA region comprising the trnL and the intergenic spacer between trnL and trnF) . The results showed that the nrDNA ITS and rpl16 genes could provide novel information for origin identification of Salvia species. Due to their higher mutation rates of these 2 gene markers, Salvia species-specific primers were designed and S. miltiorrhiza and S. yunnanensis were identified. The trnL- trnF gene expressed low mutation rate, it could not identify the species . Since the damage of DNA by the pretreatments of the dry roots of Chinese herbs, it is hard to apply the
molecular markers to commercial samples for identification.

Key words: Salvia