Previous studies of Veronica and related genera were weakly supported by molecular and paraphyletic taxa. Here, we report the complete chloroplast genome sequence of Veronica nakaiana and the related species Veronica persica and Veronicastrum sibiricum. The chloroplast genome length of V. nakaiana, V. persica, and V. sibiricum ranged from 150,198 bp to 152,930 bp. A total of 112 genes comprising 79 protein coding genes, 29 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes were observed in three chloroplast genomes. The total number of SSRs was 48, 51, and 53 in V. nakaiana, V. persica, and V. sibiricum, respectively. Two SSRs (10 bp of AT and 12 bp of AATA) were observed in the same regions (rpoC2 and ndhD) in three chloroplast genomes. A comparison of coding genes and non-coding regions between V. nakaiana and V. persica revealed divergent sites, with the greatest variation occurring petD-rpoA region. The complete chloroplast genome sequence information regarding the three Veroniceae will be helpful for elucidating Veroniceae phylogenetic relationships.

The population structure of genetic variation for four allozyme loci was investigated for two populations (one old growth, OG, and the other logged, SS) of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). Both seedlings and reproductive adults were studied for both study populations. Spatial autocorrelation statistics were used to examine the distribution of allozyme polymorphisms. The spatial genetic structure in adults of population OG indicated that individual genotypes were distributed in a structured, isolation-by-distance manner, consistent with observed levels of pollen and seed dispersal. In contrast, adult genotypes in population SS were nearly randomly distributed, probably as a result of logging. Nonetheless, spatial structuring of genotypes of seedlings occurred at both sites, indicating the power of limited seed flow, as well as temporal Wahlund effects, to create structure. None of four loci in both seedling populations showed a significant departure from Hardy-Weinberg proportions, whereas one and two significant deviations were found for loci in the two respective adult populations. These departures may be attributed to episodic reproductive events.

Fagus L. is a key component in temperate deciduous broadleaf forests of the Northern Hemisphere. However, its biogeographic history has not been examined under the framework of a fully resolved and reasonably timecalibrated phylogeny. In this study, we sequenced 28 nuclear single/low-copy loci (18 555 bp in total) of 11 Fagus species/ segregates and seven outgroups. Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed using both concatenation-based (maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference) and coalescent-based methods (StarBEAST2, ASTRAL). The monophyly of two subgenera (Fagus and Engleriana) and most sections was well supported, except for sect. Lucida, which was paraphyletic with respect to sect. Longipetiolata. We also found a major phylogenetic conflict among North American, East Asian, and West Eurasian lineages of subgen. Fagus. Three segregates that have isolated distribution (F. mexicana, F. multinervis, and F. orientalis) were independent evolutionary units. Biogeographic analysis with fossils suggested that Fagus could have originated in the North Pacific region in late early Eocene. Major diversifications coincided with a climate aberration at the Eocene/Oligocene boundary and the global cooling since mid-Miocene. The late Miocene accelerated global cooling and the Pleistocene glaciations would have driven beeches into East Asia, North America, and West Eurasia. Meanwhile, range reduction and extinction in high latitudes, central Asia, and western North America converged to form the beech modern distribution pattern. This study provides a first attempt to disentangle the biogeographic history of beeches in the context of a nearly resolved and time-calibrated phylogeny, which could shed new insights into the formation of the temperate biome in the Northern Hemisphere.

In this study, the chloroplast (cp) genome sequences from three early diverged leptosporangiate ferns were completed and analyzed in order to understand the evolution of the genome of the fern lineages. The complete cp genome sequence of Osmunda cinnamomea (Osmundales) was 142,812 base pairs (bp). The cp genome structure was similar to that of eusporangiate ferns. The gene/intron losses that frequently occurred in the cp genome of leptosporangiate ferns were not found in the cp genome of O. cinnamomea. In addition, putative RNA editing sites in the cp genome were rare in O. cinnamomea, even though the sites were frequently predicted to be present in leptosporangiate ferns. The complete cp genome sequence of Diplopterygium glaucum (Gleicheniales) was 151,007 bp and has a 9.7 kb inversion between the trnL-CAA and trnV-GCA genes when compared to O. cinnamomea. Several repeated sequences were detected around the inversion break points. The complete cp genome sequence of Lygodium japonicum (Schizaeales) was 157,142 bp and a deletion of the rpoC1 intron was detected. This intron loss was shared by all of the studied species of the genus Lygodium. The GC contents and the effective numbers of co-dons (ENCs) in ferns varied significantly when compared to seed plants. The ENC values of the early diverged leptosporangiate ferns showed intermediate levels between eusporangiate and core leptosporangiate ferns. However, our phylogenetic tree based on all of the cp gene sequences clearly indicated that the cp genome similarity between O. cinnamomea (Osmundales) and eusporangiate ferns are symplesiomorphies, rather than synapomorphies. Therefore, our data is in agreement with the view that Osmundales is a distinct early diverged lineage in the leptosporangiate ferns.

Neolitsea sericea (Bl.) Koidz. (Lauraceae) is a dioecious, insect-pollinated, and broad-leaved evergreen tree with bird-dispersed seeds. We used allozyme loci, F-statistics, and spatial autocorrelation statistics (Moran's I ) to examine the changes in genetic structure among ®ve age classes within a study population (60 m´100 m area) in southern Korea. No signi®cant di erences in expected heterozygosity were found among the age classes. The mean F-values averaged over loci were similar among age classes and showed overall conformance of heterozygosities with Hardy±Weinberg proportions. Di erences in allelic frequencies among age classes were small (mean G ST 0.012), and statistically signi®cant only for one locus (Pgd-2). The mean Moran's I-values for each of ®ve age classes indicated essentially random spatial distribution. The homogeneity of genetic structure and genetic diversity among the ®ve age classes may re¯ect the occurrence of similar reproductive events, year after year. The results may re¯ect the attractive red drupes of N. sericea in that they cause various frugivorous birds to disperse the seed long distances and independently, which in turn may help N. sericea maintain higher levels of genetic diversity within populations.