Comparative analysis of mitochondrial genomes of the endangered Hansenia species in the qinghai-tibet plateau

species are perennial medicinal herbaceous plants native to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and surrounding regions, valued for their antioxidant, antiviral, and antitumor properties. However, the complete mitochondrial genomes of this genus have not yet been characterised. This study assembled the complete mitogenomes of eight individuals from four Hansenia species using a hybrid strategy integrating Illumina, HiFi, and ONT data. The assemblies of most individuals were represented by a single “master circle” model, whereas the two individuals of H. forbesii showed circular and branched configurations, respectively. The mitochondrial genomes ranged in size from 284,004 to 339,028 bp and contained 36–40 annotated coding sequence (CDS) copies, 24–30 tRNA genes, and three rRNA genes. The mitogenomes showed GC contents ranging from 44.1% to 45.1%, and RNA-editing prediction across 35 protein-coding genes identified 535–538 editing sites per genome, with 535 sites in H. weberbaueriana , 538 in H. forrestii , 536–538 in H. forbesii , and 535–537 in H. oviformis . Chloroplast-derived sequences varied from 29 bp to 8,931 bp, with significantly higher transfer frequency in H. forbesii and H. oviformis . Phylogenetic reconstruction revealed interspecific relationships consistent with plastid and nuclear data. The divergence times of Hansenia species closely correspond with the second (13–15 Mya) and third (7–8 Mya) uplift events of the QTP, suggesting that geographic isolation driven by QTP uplift served as a major evolutionary driver for speciation. This study provides the first Hansenia mitochondrial genomes, offering crucial biological insights into the evolutionary history, adaptive mechanisms, and phylogenetic relationships of this genus.