The complete chloroplast genome of Lessertia frutescens (L.) Goldblatt & J. C. Manning (Leguminosae), an important medicinal plant species from Southern Africa.

Lessertia frutescens (L.) Goldblatt & J. C. Manning 2000 is an endemic species of Southern Africa with high medicinal and economic values. To facilitate exploration of its genetic resource, a complete chloroplast genome was determined using Illumina pair-end sequencing technology. The complete circular genome is 122,700 bp in length with overall 34.2% GC contents. It encodes a total of 110 genes, including 76 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA, and four rRNA genes. The maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree indicated that L. frutescens nested within the Papilionoideae and had a close relationship with Astragalus nakaianus and A. mongholicus. The newly sequenced complete chloroplast genome will help understanding the plastome evolution, genetic diversity and contribute to the genetic conservation of the natural population of L. frutescens.