Abstract

Polylepis rugulosa Bitter is an endangered species native to the central and northern Andes and is one of the woody species that form the highest altitude woodlands in the world. Despite its ecological importance, genomic information for P. rugulosa is scarce, which limits our understanding of its evolutionary relationships and hinders the development of conservation strategies. In this study, we assembled the complete chloroplast genome of P. rugulosa and conducted phylogenetic analyses using 25 chloroplast genomes. The chloroplast genome is composed of 155,163 bp, with a typical quadripartite structure: a large single copy (85,290 bp), a small single copy (18,761 bp), and two inverted repeats (26,556 bp each). A total of 129 genes were identified, including 84 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the placement of P. rugulosa within the Sanguisorbinae clade (Sanguisorbeae tribe). This is the first report of the complete plastome genome of a Polylepis species, providing valuable genomic data for conservation strategies and for reconstructing the biogeographical history of the genus Polylepis in South America. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.