The first complete chloroplast genome of Polygonatum hirtellum: Genome features and phylogenetic relationships

Polygonatum hirtellum is a perennial herb within the family Asparagaceae. In the present study, the chloroplast (cp) genome of P. hirtellum is reported for the first time, and its phylogenetic relationships are also investigated. The findings revealed that the cp genome was 155,697 bp and exhibited a typical quadripartite structure, consisting of a large single copy (84,468 bp), a small single copy (18,491 bp), and a pair of invert repeat sequences (26,369 bp). The GC content of the cp genomes amounted to 37.7%; 130 genes were identified, consisting of 84 protein-coding genes, 38 transfer RNA genes, and eight ribosomal RNA genes. A phylogenetic analysis based on the cp genome and coding sequence showed that P. hirtellum was a member of section Verticillata and could be distinguished from other species of the genus Polygonatum used in the analysis.