Complete chloroplast genomes of <i>Lespedeza inschanica</i> and <i>L. juncea</i> (Fabaceae: section <i>Junceae</i>)

Species of the section <i>Junceae</i> (<i>Lespedeza</i>, Fabaceae) have been used in traditional medicine, and their extracts have been investigated as medicinal resources in Korea. However, their morphological similarities may lead to misidentification and misuse. In this study, we analyzed the chloroplast genomes of <i>Lespedeza inschanica</i> and <i>Lespedeza juncea</i> to obtain more evidence to assist with the classification of this section. Both genomes are approximately 149 kb long, comprising large single-copy, small single-copy, and inverted repeat regions, with a total of 128 genes. The genomes in <i>Lespedeza</i> exhibit shared features, including the loss of <i>infA</i> and <i>rpl22</i> genes, the loss of <i>rpl2</i> and <i>rps12</i> introns, and inversion of the <i>trnD-Y-E</i> cluster. A phylogenetic analysis supported <i>Junceae</i> as a monophyletic section that includes two clades. One clade comprised <i>Lespedeza cuneata, L. inschanica</i>, and <i>L. juncea</i>, whereas the other includes <i>Lespedeza davurica</i> and <i>Lespedeza floribunda</i>. This study provides foundational data pertaining to the taxonomy of <i>Lespedeza</i>.