The complete chloroplast genome sequence of the medicinal plant Cercis chinensis and phylogenetic analysis

Cercis chinensis is a deciduous shrub or small landscape tree with exceptional ornamental characteristics. Here, we report the complete chloroplast genome of C. chinensis to provide a foundation for further phylogenetic studies of the Leguminosae. The chloroplast (cp) genome was 158,999 bp in size containing a large single-copy (LSC) region 88,176 bp in length, a small single-copy (SSC) region 19,583 bp in length, and two inverted repeat (IR) regions that were 25,620 bp each. The total GC content of the cp genome was 42.9% with the LSC, SSC, and IR regions 36.2, 33.8, and 29.4%, respectively. The cp genome contains 129 genes, including 85 protein-coding, 36 tRNA, and 8 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that C. chinensis is closely related to Cercis glabra. These results provide valuable information about the evolutionary processes and conservation genetics of C. chinensis.