Comparative chloroplast genome analyses of diverse Phoebe (Lauraceae) species endemic to China provide insight into their phylogeographical origin.

The genus Phoebe (Lauraceae) includes about 90 evergreen tree species that are an ideal source of timber. Habitat destruction and deforestation have resulted in most of them being endemic to China. The accurate identification of endangered Phoebe species in China is necessary for their conservation. Chloroplast genome sequences can play an important role in species identification. In this study, comparative chloroplast genome analyses were conducted on diverse Phoebe species that are primarily distributed in China. Despite the conserved nature of chloroplast genomes, we detected some highly divergent intergenic regions (petA-psbE, ndhF-rpl32, and psbM-trnD-GUC) as well as three highly divergent genes (rbcL, ycf1, and ycf2) that have potential applications in phylogenetics and evolutionary analysis. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that various Phoebe species in China were divided into three clades. The complete chloroplast genome was better suited for phylogenetic analysis of Phoebe species. In addition, based on the phylogeographical analysis of Phoebe species in China, we inferred that the Phoebe species in China first originated in Yunnan and then spread to other southern areas of the Yangtze River. The results of this research will add to existing case studies on the phylogenetic analysis of Phoebe species and have the potential to contribute to the conservation of Phoebe species that are in danger of extinction.

Complete chloroplast genome sequence of Thalictrum viscosum W.T.Wang & S.H.Wang, 1979 (Ranunculaceae).

Thalictrum viscosum W.T.Wang & S.H.Wang, 1979 is a flowering plant species in family Ranunculaceae that is endemic to Yunnan province of China. To facilitate genetic study of T. viscosum, we de novo assembled and annotated the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of T. viscosum for the first time. The total length of the cp genome of T. viscosum was 155,984 bp, with a GC content of 38.4%. The T. viscosum cp genome had a typical quadripartite structure with a large single-copy region of 85,339 bp, a small single-copy region of 17,656 bp, and a pair of inverted repeat regions of 26,495 bp. The cp genome consisted of 133 genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 38 transfer RNA genes, and eight ribosomal RNA genes. We performed phylogenetic analysis of T. viscosum with the maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree and indicated that T. viscosum was closely related to T. cirrhosum and T. foeniculaceum.

Fire-prone Rhamnaceae with South African affinities in Cretaceous Myanmar amber.

The rapid Cretaceous diversification of flowering plants remains Darwin's 'abominable mystery' despite numerous fossil flowers discovered in recent years. Wildfires were frequent in the Cretaceous and many such early flower fossils are represented by charcoalified fragments, lacking complete delicate structures and surface textures, making their similarity to living forms difficult to discern. Furthermore, scarcity of information about the ecology of early angiosperms makes it difficult to test hypotheses about the drivers of their diversification, including the role of fire in shaping flowering plant evolution. We report the discovery of two exquisitely preserved fossil flower species, one identical to the inflorescences of the extant crown-eudicot genus Phylica and the other recovered as a sister group to Phylica, both preserved as inclusions together with burned plant remains in Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar (~99 million years ago). These specialized flower species, named Phylica piloburmensis sp. nov. and Eophylica priscastellata gen. et sp. nov., exhibit traits identical to those of modern taxa in fire-prone ecosystems such as the fynbos of South Africa, and provide evidence of fire adaptation in angiosperms.

Comparative Analysis the Complete Chloroplast Genomes of Nine Musa Species: Genomic Features, Comparative Analysis, and Phylogenetic Implications.

Musa (family Musaceae) is monocotyledonous plants in order Zingiberales, which grows in tropical and subtropical regions. It is one of the most important tropical fruit trees in the world. Herein, we used next-generation sequencing technology to assemble and perform in-depth analysis of the chloroplast genome of nine new Musa plants for the first time, including genome structure, GC content, repeat structure, codon usage, nucleotide diversity and etc. The entire length of the Musa chloroplast genome ranged from 167,975 to 172,653 bp, including 113 distinct genes comprising 79 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and four ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. In comparative analysis, we found that the contraction and expansion of the inverted repeat (IR) regions resulted in the doubling of the rps19 gene. The several non-coding sites (psbI-atpA, atpH-atpI, rpoB-petN, psbM-psbD, ndhf-rpl32, and ndhG-ndhI) and three genes (ycf1, ycf2, and accD) showed significant variation, indicating that they have the potential of molecular markers. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete chloroplast genome and coding sequences of 77 protein-coding genes confirmed that Musa can be mainly divided into two groups. These genomic sequences provide molecular foundation for the development and utilization of Musa plants resources. This result may contribute to the understanding of the evolution pattern, phylogenetic relationships as well as classification of Musa plants.

emSphaeraphodius/em emgaohani/em, a new genus and species of Aphodiini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) from Guangxi, China.

Sphaeraphodius gaohani Kakizoe, Jiang Wang, a new genus and new species of the tribe Aphodiini, is described based on two female specimens from Guangxi, China. This new genus differs considerably from any previously known genera of Aphodiini by dorsally swollen body covered by considerably long setae, and lack of transverse setiferous carinae on outer surfaces of meso- and metatibiae. This new taxon is found sympatrically with the termite Macrotermes sp. in the field. Therefore, this species is perhaps termitophilous, but we cannot conclude it at this time due to the insufficient information available in the field.

The whole chloroplast genome sequence of Macadamia tetraphylla (Proteaceae).

Macadamia tetraphylla (Proteaceae) is one of the two macadamia plants that are edible and of cultivated value. Only two chloroplast genomes were reported in Proteaceae so far. In this study, we report the complete chloroplast genome sequence of M. tetraphylla, which is the third reported chloroplast genome in Proteaceae. The chloroplast genome is 159,195 bp long and includes 113 genes. Its LSC, SSC and IR regions are 87,951, 18,748 and 26,248 bp long, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that M. tetraphylla was clustered with other two species of Proteaceae, the M. integrifoia and M. ternifolia.