ERGA-BGE reference genome of Lewinskya acuminata, a common epiphytic Mediterranean moss with disjunct populations in California and Ethiopia

<ns3:p> The reference genome of <ns3:italic>Lewinskya acuminata</ns3:italic> (H. Philib.) F. Lara, Garilleti & Goffinet will enable phylogenomic, biogeographic, and evolutionary studies within the <ns3:italic>Orthotrichaceae</ns3:italic> and related bryophyte lineages at a depth previously inaccessible. This species of moss is among the most representative of the Mediterranean epiphytic communities and can be readily identified by its long-acuminate leaves, fusiform capsules with a vestigial exostome, a well-developed endostome of six broad segments, and a dark, puckered peristome mouth when dry. The entirety of the genome sequence was assembled into 6 contiguous chromosomal pseudomolecules, while the mitochondrial and chloroplastic genomes were assembled, respectively, as a single contig of 104,820 bp and two contigs of 123,029 bp and 122,994 bp. This chromosome-level assembly encompasses 0.25 Gb, composed of 51 contigs and 13 scaffolds, with contig and scaffold N50 values of 11.5 Mb and 40.8 Mb, respectively. </ns3:p>