The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Camellia rostrata S. X. Yang & S. F. Chai (Theaceae), a critically endangered yellow camellia from southwest China.

Camellia rostrata S. X. Yang & S. F. Chai is a recently described yellow camellia species from Guangxi, China. It is a critically endangered species according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Here, we report the complete chloroplast (cp) genome based on next-generation sequencing technology. The complete cp genome of C. rostrata is 156,547 bp in length and consists of a large single-copy (LSC, 86,199 bp) region, a small single-copy (SSC, 18,204 bp) region, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 26,072 bp). The genome contains 135 genes including 40 tRNA, eight rRNA, and 87 protein-coding genes. Phylogenetic analysis resolved C. rostrata in a clade containing C. huana and C. impressinervis, both of which are classified to Camellia sect. Archecamellia. Our findings support the placement of C. rostrata in C. sect. Archecamellia as proposed by a previous study. The cp genome of C. rostrata provides valuable bioinformatic resources for the protection and utilization of this yellow camellia species.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Camellia zhaiana (Theaceae), a critically endangered species from China.

Camellia zhaiana S.X. Yang (Theaceae) is a recently described species reported from Guangxi, China. It was proposed as a critically endangered species according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. In this study, we report and characterize the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of C. zhaiana using Illumina pair-end sequencing data. This is the first report of a cp genome of a species classified in Camellia section. Longipedicellata. The cp genome of C. zhaiana is 156,627 bp in length and includes a large single-copy region (LSC, 86,196 bp), a small single-copy region (SSC, 18,281 bp), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs, 26,075 bp). The genome contains 135 genes, including 40 tRNA, eight rRNA, and 87 protein-coding genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed a strongly supported sister relationship between C. zhaiana and C. longipedicellata, which is a species classified in sect. Longipedicellata. These data support the previous systematic findings of C. zhaiana and advance the bioinformatics of the genus Camellia.