Comparative chloroplast genomics and phylogeny of Stachytarpheta jamaicensis and Lantana camara (Verbenaceae)

The Verbenaceae family, comprising approximately 1,000 species across 32 genera, is highly valued for its medicinal and ornamental properties. In this study, we de novo assembled the chloroplast (cp) genomes of Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl and Lantana camara L. and compared them with those of 10 additional Verbenaceae species to elucidate their genome structures and phylogenetic relationships. The cp genomes of S. jamaicensis (153,719 bp) and L. camara (154,394 bp) both exhibited a conserved quadripartite structure, consisting of a large single-copy (LSC) region, a small single-copy (SSC) region, and a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions. Comparative genomic analysis identified 113 unique genes—including 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes—that displayed remarkable similarity in arrangement and intron content. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on cp genomes revealed that S. jamaicensis belongs to the tribe Duranteae and is closely related to Duranta erecta L., whereas L. camara clusters with species in the tribe Lantaneae and is closely related to Lippia origanoides Kunth. These cp genomes may serve as valuable resources to provide broad insight into chloroplast genome evolution and the phylogeny of the family in the future.