Complete chloroplast genomes of Lespedeza inschanica and L. juncea (Fabaceae: section Junceae)

Species of the section Junceae (Lespedeza, Fabaceae) have been used in traditional medicine, and their extracts have been investigated as medicinal resources in Korea. However, their morphological similarities may lead to misidentification and misuse. In this study, we analyzed the chloroplast genomes of Lespedeza inschanica and Lespedeza juncea to obtain more evidence to assist with the classification of this section. Both genomes are approximately 149 kb long, comprising large single-copy, small single-copy, and inverted repeat regions, with a total of 128 genes. The genomes in Lespedeza exhibit shared features, including the loss of infA and rpl22 genes, the loss of rpl2 and rps12 introns, and inversion of the trnD-Y-E cluster. A phylogenetic analysis supported Junceae as a monophyletic section that includes two clades. One clade comprised Lespedeza cuneata, L. inschanica, and L. juncea, whereas the other includes Lespedeza davurica and Lespedeza floribunda. This study provides foundational data pertaining to the taxonomy of Lespedeza.