Chromosome-level genome assembly of Phoebe chekiangensis, an endemic and endangered tree in east Asia

Phoebe chekiangensis is a rare nanmu species endemic to southeastern China that provides high-quality timber and has ecological and economic importance. Genomic resources for this genus are limited, constraining research on its genetic diversity, adaptive evolution, and conservation. Here we report a chromosome-level reference genome of P. chekiangensis generated using PacBio HiFi long reads, MGI short reads, and Hi-C sequencing. The assembled genome spans 918.59 Mb with a scaffold N50 of 68.99 Mb, and 98.88% of sequences were anchored to 12 pseudochromosomes. Repetitive elements account for 49.45% of the genome. A total of 34,381 protein-coding genes were predicted, of which 91.91% were functionally annotated. Genome quality was supported by a QV of 44.96 (99.99% base accuracy), a BUSCO completeness of 98.4%, and an LAI score of 14.32, meeting reference-quality standards. This high-quality genome provides a valuable resource for conservation genomics, evolutionary biology, and molecular breeding within Phoebe and the Lauraceae family.