Comparative Genomics and Phylogenetic Analyses of and in the Tribe Desmodieae (Fabaceae: Papilionoideae) Based on Complete Chloroplast Genomes.

Taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships of , , and related genera within the tribe Desmodieae (Fabaceae: Papilionoideae) have long been controversial. Here, we report the complete chloroplast (cp) genomes of and and perform comparative and phylogenetic analyses with and other relatives in the Desmodieae. The cp genomes of and are 149,656 and 149,930 bp long, with 128 unique genes (83 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes), respectively. Comparative analyses revealed 95-129 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and eleven highly variable regions (, , , , , , , , , , and ) among six Desmodieae species. Phylogenetic analyses clearly resolved two subtribes (Desmodiinae and Lespedezinae) of Desmodieae as monophyletic, and the newly reported and clustered in subtribe Desmodiinae. A sister relationship of to was supported. Evidence was presented to support the treatment of as a distinct genus rather than in synonymy with . The results provide valuable information for further studies on species delimitation, phylogenetics, population genetics, and the evolutionary process of speciation in the Desmodieae.