Comparative chloroplast genome analysis of L. (Viburnaceae): inference for phylogenetic relationships among the closely related Wall. ex DC Blume.

L. is found in the family Viburnaceae (syn. Adoxaceae) and encompasses approximately 29 accepted species. The complex morphology of these species has caused continued confusion concerning their nomenclature, classification, and identification. Despite previous attempts to resolve taxonomic complexities in the genus, there are still unclear phylogenetic relationships among several species. In this study, the newly obtained plastome of Hance. as well as the populations of L., Blume, and Wall. ex DC were sequenced, and their sizes, structural similarity, gene order, gene number, and guanine-cytosine (GC) contents were analyzed. The phylogenetic analyses were conducted using the whole chloroplast genomes and protein-coding genes (PCGs). The findings revealed that the chloroplast genomes of species exhibited typical quadripartite double-stranded DNA molecules. Their lengths ranged from 158,012 base pairs (bp) () to 158,716 bp ( L). Each genome comprised a pair of inverted repeats (IRs), which separated the large single-copy (LSC) and small single-copy (SSC) regions. In addition, the plastomes contained 132 genes, encompassing 87 protein-coding, 37 tRNA, and four rRNA genes. In the simple sequence repeat (SSR) analysis, A/T mononucleotides had the highest proportion, with the most repetitive sequences observed in . The comparative genome analyses showed high similarities in structure, order, and gene contents. The hypervariable regions in the studied chloroplast genomes were , , , , , and , which may be used as candidate barcodes for species discrimination in genus. Phylogenetic analyses supported the monophyly of and revealed the separation of and populations. Lindl. was nested within in the same clade, collaborating their conspecific treatment. These outcomes indicate that the chloroplast genome of plants is a valuable genetic resource for resolving taxonomic discrepancies at the lower taxonomic levels and can be applied in molecular evolutionary studies.