Aconitum coreanum (H. Lév.) Rapaics listed in the Korean Red List is a medicinal herb. We presented complete chloroplast genome, which is 157,024 bp long and has four subregions: 87,637 bp of large single-copy and 16,901 bp of small single-copy regions, which are separated by two 26,243 bp inverted repeat regions including 132 genes (86 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNAs, and 37 tRNAs). The overall GC content of the chloroplast is 38.0%. Phylogenetic trees show that A. coreanum occupied a basal position at subgenus Aconitum clade and two A. coreanum isolated from midwestern and eastern regions of Korea are clustered together.

Syringa fauriei is an unresolved lilac taxon (Oleaceae) native to specific geographical areas and present in the rivers and valleys of Gangwon province in South Korea. It was first identified on Mt Geumgang by Faurie in 1906 and recognized as an independent species. Nevertheless, S. fauriei has been controversial as a synonymous species for S. reticulata subsp. amurensis without clear evidence. Therefore, we conducted this study on the taxonomic position of S. fauriei by examining the morphological and molecular differences between S. fauriei and its related taxa, the S. reticulata complex. Phylogenetic relationships were also inferred using molecular markers of nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2; ITS) and external transcribed spacer regions. Consequently, S. fauriei and its related taxa were classified into two distinct clades: S. fauriei and the S. reticulata complex. Morphological and molecular data revealed that S. fauriei was endemic to Korea. The species characteristics of S. fauriei were further described for taxonomic re-establishment.