Chloroplast genome sequence of the hybrid variety ‘Silky White’, a white-flowered calla lily ( Zantedeschia aethiopica )

Calla lily (Zantedeschia spp.), native to southern Africa, is a very attractive plant and is used as cut flowers, potted flowering plants, and bedding plants. It can be distinguished into two groups depending on the color of the flower. The chloroplast genome of the hybrid variety ‘Silky White’ (Z. aethiopica × Z. aethiopica), a white-flowered calla lily, was sequenced using Illumina sequencing technology. The total length of the chloroplast genome was 168,880 bp with a GC content of 35.59%. It comprised a large single copy (LSC) region of 89,391 bp, a small single copy (SSC) region of 31,849 bp, and two inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb) of 23,820 bp. Additionally, 161 functional genes were identified in the genome, including 105 protein-coding genes, 48 transfer RNA genes and 8 ribosomal RNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the variety ‘Silky White’ is grouped into a large clade with other different Zantedeschia species, but is specifically close to Z. aethiopica, a group of white-flowered calla lilies. This study provides useful genomic information for future breeding and evolutionary studies of Zantedeschia spp.