Chloroplast genomes are considered to be highly conserved. Nevertheless, differences in their sequences are an important source of phylogenetically informative data. Chloroplast genomes are increasingly applied in evolutionary studies of angiosperms, including Magnoliaceae. Recent studies have focused on resolving the previously debated classification of the family using a phylogenomic approach and chloroplast genome data. However, most Neotropical clades and recently described species have not yet been included in molecular studies. We performed sequencing, assembly, and annotation of 15 chloroplast genomes from Neotropical Magnoliaceae species. We compared the newly assembled chloroplast genomes with 22 chloroplast genomes from across the family, including representatives from each genus and section. Family-wide, the chloroplast genomes presented a length of about 160 kb. The gene content in all species was constant, with 145 genes. The intergenic regions showed a higher level of nucleotide diversity than the coding regions. Differences were higher among genera than within genera. The phylogenetic analysis in Magnolia showed two main clades and corroborated that the current infrageneric classification does not represent natural groups. Although chloroplast genomes are highly conserved in Magnoliaceae, the high level of diversity of the intergenic regions still resulted in an important source of phylogenetically informative data, even for closely related taxa.

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Penstemon es uno de los géneros más diversos de la familia Plantaginaceae con cerca de 283 especies distribuidas desde Alaska hasta Guatemala. Para México se citan al menos 50 especies; sin embargo, hasta la fecha se conoce muy poco sobre su taxonomía, distribución, diversidad y estado de conservación. Considerando la riqueza, composición y grado de endemismo de la flora de la Faja Volcánica Transmexicana, se piensa que es una región esencial para realizar un primer acercamiento sobre el conocimiento del género Penstemon en México.Métodos: Se analizaron los estudios florísticos de la Faja Volcánica Transmexicana, bases de datos en línea y los tratamientos taxonómicos de Penstemon; se revisaron los ejemplares del género depositados en 12 herbarios del centro de México y se evaluó el estado de conservación de sus especies. Además, se analizaron los patrones de distribución geográfica y ecológica de las especies de Penstemon en la provincia de estudio a través de un análisis biogeográfico cuantitativo.Resultados clave: Se documenta la presencia, y se analizan patrones de distribución, de nueve taxa de Penstemon para la Faja Volcánica Transmexicana. Se enlistan los taxa encontrados, nombres válidos, sinonimias, descripciones morfológicas, estado de conservación y mapas de distribución.Conclusiones: Aunque no se localizó ningún taxón de Penstemon endémico de la Faja Volcánica Transmexicana, es importante señalar que en esta provincia se concentra la mayor parte del área de distribución de cinco de los nueve taxa tratados. Además, se descubrió que la porción oriental de la Faja Volcánica Transmexicana es la región donde se registra la mayor riqueza de especies del género de estudio.

Mexico's extraordinary tree diversity is threatened by the increasing demand for resources because of the tenfold population growth in the last century. The conservation status of trees and both urban and rural livelihoods are also negatively affected by agriculture, mining and tourism. Nearly 60% of the Mexican endemic and near endemic tree species whose conservation status we have assessed for the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature are threatened, almost double the percentage of threatened trees worldwide. If no measures are taken to protect this tree diversity properly, these resources will be forever lost for human sustainability. Summary• Mexico is floristically the fourth most species-rich country in the world. Currently, 3620 native tree species are reported from this country. Mexico has been a forerunner at global level in recognising the need for plant conservation, yet this is in stark contrast with governmental programmes and actions, past and present that negatively affect(ed) immense areas of primary vegetation. In the framework of the Global Tree Assessment, to date, we have assessed the conservation status of nearly 1500 Mexican endemic and near endemic tree species for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the distribution data of which we use here for a first meta-analysis of conservation statuses and spatial distribution patterns in a newly delimited area we call Natural Mexico.• Our database consists of 112,416 taxonomically and geographically very carefully curated distribution points of 1474 tree species endemic to Mexico and adjacent areas, belonging to 98 flowering plant families. The extensive curation methodology we consider essential for both research and conservation purposes is emphasised.

A new species, Russelia tehuana (Plantaginaceae), is described from the Sierra Madre del Sur in the southern part of Oaxaca, Mexico. This taxon is distinguished from all other Russelia species by the hirsute pubescence, the resinous lepidotes present on both leaf surfaces, the small flowers and the centrally narrow corolla tube. Here we describe and illustrate this species, discuss its known distribution, and compare it with other Russelia species that grow in the state of Oaxaca.