Complete plastid genome of Rhododendron griersonianum, a critically endangered plant with extremely small populations (PSESP) from southwest China

The complete plastid genome of Rhododendron griersonianum, a critically endangered plant species with extremely small populations, was obtained using Illumina HiSeq X Ten and ONT PromethION sequencing. The full length of the plastid genome is 206,467 bp with an overall GC content of 35.8%, which encodes 118 unique genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNA and 4 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all Rhododendron species formed a monophyletic clade. This study provides a valuable reference and will facilitate future studies related to the general characteristics and evolution of plastid genomes in the genus Rhododendron.