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The Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequence of Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants (Chenopodiaceae / Amaranthaceae sensu APG), a medicinal plant and invasive species in Korea

Yongsung Kim, Youngjae Chung, and Jongsun Park
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The genus Dysphania R.Br. consisting of 7 to 10 species, which is endemic to Australia, belongs to tribe Dysphanieae in family Chenopodiaceae / Amaranthaceae sensu APG. Recent phylogenetic research presented that Dysphania is clearly distinguished from Chenopodium by multicellular glandular hairs and closely related to Suckleya and Cycloloma. Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants is an annual or short-lived perennial herb known as Chenopodium ambrosioides before and traditionally named “Epazote” as a aromatic herb with a camphoraceous odor. It is native to Central and South America distributed in diverse conditions and is considered invasive species. It is also has been used as an ethno medicinal herb in many countries. The essential oils of D. ambrosioides have been studied as having various effect like found anthelmintic, vermifuge, insecticides, and emmenagogue. It is used in the treatment of digestive, respiratory, urogenital, vascular, and nervous disorders. Here, we presented the complete chloroplast genome of D. ambrosioides (MK182726). Its length is 151,689 bp composed of four subregions: large single copy (LSC; 83,421 bp) and small single copy (SSC; 18,062 bp) regions separated by inverted repeats (IRs; 25,103 bp). It contains 128 genes (84 protein-coding genes, eight rRNAs, and 36 tRNAs). The overall GC content is 36.9\% and those in the LSC, SSC, and IR regions are 34.9\%, 30.3\%, and 42.7\%, respectively. D. ambrosioides is monophyly with D. pimilio and is located as a sister species to Spinacia oleracea in phylogenetic tree constructed based on whole chloroplast genomes. Together with many Chenopodiaceae / Amaranthaceae sensu APG chloroplast genomes, D. ambrosioides chloroplast genome will contribute in-depth understanding of Dysphania and Chenopodium genera.