Characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the chloroplast genome of aff. .

The genus (Ebenaceae) has significant economic value. During field surveys, we discovered a specimen showing morphological overlap with both . and var. silvestris, provisionally named aff. . To resolve its taxonomy, we sequenced and analyzed its chloroplast genome. The complete chloroplast genome is 157,732 bp with a quadripartite structure. mVISTA analysis revealed unique sequence variations compared to related species. Phylogenetic analysis using 75 protein-coding genes grouped it with , indicating their close relationship. Our findings suggest this specimen likely represents a novel, undescribed species. This study provides insights into Diospyros diversity and a foundation for future research.