Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analyses of <i>Crataegus</i> chloroplast genomes: insights for evolution and identification.

ABSTRACT: Crataegus spp. plants are valuable horticultural crops because of their extensive use in Chinese herbal medications, cosmetics, food production, and other industries. However, the wide variety of species, similar morphological characteristics, inherent hybridization, apomixis, and polyploidy have led to confusion in terms of their taxonomic status. Herein, a total of 18 complete chloroplast genomes including 17 Crataegus species and 1 Mespilus species were newly sequenced and comprehensively analyzed for comparative genomics and phylogenetic relationships. The 18 chloroplast genomes possessed typical quadripartite structures with lengths from 159,638 to 159,973 bp in size. These chloroplast genomes encode 119-131 genes, including 37 transfer RNA (rRNA) genes, 8 ribosom

SUBMITTER: Sun X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12932471 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature