Comprehensive analysis of complete chloroplast genome sequence of <i>Plantago asiatica</i> L. (Plantaginaceae)

<i>Plantago asiatica</i> L. is a representative individual species of Plantaginaceae, whose high reputation is owed to its edible and medicinal values. However, the phylogeny and genes of the <i>P. asiatica</i> chloroplast have not yet been well described. Here we report the findings of a comprehensive analysis of the <i>P. asiatica</i> chloroplast genome. The <i>P. asiatica</i> chloroplast genome is 164,992 bp, circular, and has a GC content of 37.98%. The circular genome contains 141 genes, including 8 rRNAs, 38 tRNAs, and 95 protein-coding genes. Seventy-two simple sequence repeats are detected. Comparative chloroplast genome analysis of six related species suggests that a higher similarity exists in the coding region than the non-coding region, and differences in the degree of preservation is smaller between <i>P. asiatica</i> and <i>Plantago depressa</i> than among others. Our phylogenetic analysis illustrates <i>P. asiatica</i> has a relatively close relationship with <i>P. depressa</i>, which was also divided into different clades with <i>Plantago ovata</i> and <i>Plantago lagopus</i> in the genus <i>Plantago</i>. This analysis of the <i>P. asiatica</i> chloroplast genome contributes to an improved deeply understanding of the evolutionary relationships among Plantaginaceae.