The complete chloroplast genome and phylogenetic position of Cymbidium hartinahianum, an endemic and endangered orchid of Sumatra, Indonesia

Cymbidium (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae) includes species of significant horticultural and ecological importance, yet limited research exists on the distribution and phylogeny of Cymbidium hartinahianum, an orchid endemic to North Sumatra, Indonesia. Here, we present the complete plastid genome of Cymbidium hartinahianum. The whole plastid genome was sequenced using the Illumina platform, followed by a pipeline for plastome assembly, annotation, and visualization. The circular genome with a length of 150,370 bp possesses the typical quadripartite structure, consisting of a large single-copy (LSC) region of 84,189 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 14,611 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) regions of 25,785 bp. The plastid genome has a total GC content of 37.0. Annotation revealed 148 gene species, including 96 protein-coding genes, 52 transfer RNA, and four ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses based on 52 plastomes confirmed that C. hartinahianum is sister to C. floribundum and belongs to the Cymbidium section Floribundum. This newly sequenced plastome data will be valuable for future Cymbidium phylogenomic and biogeographical studies. It also provides new molecular data for conservation efforts, including DNA barcoding to help prevent the illegal trade of this endangered orchid. © 2024 National Science Museum of Korea (NSMK) and Korea National Arboretum (KNA)