Complete chloroplast genomes of three Lespedeza species in section Junceae (Fabaceae)

Species of the Fabaceae family are used as food, medicine, forage materials, and as soil fertility resources. As accurate species recognition is important for their use, several studies have investigated the genetic traits and evolutionary history of these species. In this study, we analyzed the chloroplast genomes of three Lespedeza species (L. pilosa, L. tomentosa, and L. virgata; section Junceae), which are members of the Fabaceae family. Their genomes were approximately 149 kb long, comprising 128 genes with large single-copy, small single-copy, and inverted repeat regions. The analyzed genomes supported the previously reported genetic traits of this genus, such as the inversion of the trnD-Y-E cluster. In the phylogenetic tree, L. pilosa and L. tomentosa were nested in the Junceae clade, whereas L. virgata was closely clustered with L. bicolor of section Macrolespedeza. Overall, our comprehensive genomic dataset can provide insights that facilitate future taxonomic revisions and evolutionary studies of this difficult-to-classify group.