Assessing the phylogenetic relationship among varieties of Toona ciliata (Meliaceae) in sympatry with chloroplast genomes

Toona ciliata is an endangered species due to over‐cutting and low natural regeneration in China. Its genetic conservation is of an increasing concern. However, several varieties are recognized according to the leaf and flower traits, which complicates genetic conservation of T. ciliata. Here, we sequenced the whole chloroplast genome sequences of three samples for each of four varieties (T. ciliata var. ciliata, T. ciliata var. yunnanensis, T. ciliata var. pubescens, and T. ciliata var. henryi) in sympatry and assessed their phylogenetic relationship at a fine spatial scale. The four varieties had genome sizes ranged from 159,546 to 159,617 bp and had small variations in genome structure. Phylogenomic analysis indicated that the four varieties were genetically well‐mixed in branch groups. Genetic diversity from the whole chloroplast genome sequences of 12 samples was low among varieties (average π = 0.0003). Besides, we investigated genetic variation of 58 samples of the four varieties in sympatry using two markers (psaA and trnL‐trnF) and showed that genetic differentiation was generally insignificant among varieties (Фst = 0%–5%). Purifying selection occurred in all protein‐coding genes except for the ycf2 gene that was under weak positive selection. Most amino acid sites in all protein‐coding genes were under purifying selection except for a few sites that were under positive selection. The chloroplast genome‐based phylogeny did not support the morphology‐based classification. The overall results implicated that a conservation strategy based on the T. ciliata complex rather than on intraspecific taxon was more appropriate. This research used chloroplast genome sequences to assess the phylogenetic relationship of varieties of Toona ciliata, an endangered species in China. The results provided evidence of their close genetic relationship in sympatry and explored the potential evolutionary mechanism for a conflict between organelle‐ and morphology‐based phylogenies.