The complete chloroplast genome sequence of <i>Abies recurvata</i> Mast. from southwest China: insights into genome features and evolutionary relationships

<i>Abies recurvata</i> Mast. is an endemic and vulnerable conifer species in China. To date, its taxonomic position relative to related taxa (e.g. <i>A. delavayi</i> and <i>A. chensiensis</i>) remains ambiguous. To our knowledge, this work presents the first full chloroplast genome assembly and comprehensive characterization of <i>Abies recurvata</i> (Purple-coned Fir). This genome exists as a circular molecule of 120,063 bp, harboring 113 distinct genes. Additionally, 66 microsatellite repeats and 12 tandem repeats were identified. Phylogenetic analysis challenged conventional taxonomic views, revealing that <i>A. recurvata</i> is distantly related to <i>A. delavayi</i> and <i>A. chensiensis</i>, but instead forms a strongly supported clade with <i>A. fargesii</i>.