Vaccinium mandarinorum Diels, a wild blueberry species distributed in the south of the Yangtze River in China, holds significant ecological and commercial value. Understanding its potential distribution and response to climate change is crucial for effective resource utilization and scientific introduction. By using the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model, we evaluated V. mandarinorum’s potential distribution under current (1970–2000) and future climate change scenarios (2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100) based on 216 modern distribution records and seven bioclimatic variables. The results showed that the MaxEnt model could effectively simulate the historical distribution and suitability degree of V. mandarinorum. The top two major environmental variables were precipitation of the driest quarter and annual precipitation, considering their contribution rates of 61.3% and 23.4%, respectively. Currently, the high suitability areas were mainly concentrated in central and northern Jiangxi province, central and southern Zhejiang province, southern Anhui province, central and northern Fujian province, and the border areas of Hunan and Guangxi provinces, covering 21.5% of the total suitable area. Future projections indicate that habitat will shift to higher latitudes and altitudes and that habitat quality will decline. Strategies are required to protect current V. mandarinorum populations and their habitats. The study results could provide an important theoretical reference for the optimization of planting distribution and ensure the sustainable production of the blueberry industry.

Vaccinium bracteatum is a valuable plant used both as food and medicine in China, but low production limits the development of its industry. As such, it is important to develop genetic resources for the high-value species for preservation of wild populations and utilization. The complete chloroplast and nuclear genomes have already been available; however, its mitogenome has not yet been characterized. Here, the V. bracteatum mitogenome was assembled using HiFi reads, and a comparative analysis was conducted. The mitogenome was a circular sequence of 708,384 bp with a GC content of 45.28%, in which 67 genes were annotated, including 36 protein-coding genes, 26 tRNA genes, 3 rRNA genes, and 2 pseudogenes. Overall, 370 dispersed repeats, 161 simple repeats, and 42 tandem repeats were identified, and 360 RNA editing sites were predicted. There was extensive DNA migration among the three genomes. In addition, most of the protein-coding genes underwent purifying selection throughout evolution, and the nucleotide diversity was highly variable. In addition, comparative analysis indicated that the sizes, structures, and gene contents of the mitogenomes differed significantly, but the GC contents and functional genes were relatively conserved among the Ericales species. Mitogenome-based phylogenetic analysis indicated the precise. evolutionary and taxonomic status of V. bracteatum. The complete mitogenome represents the last link of the reference genome of V. bracteatum and lays the foundation for effective utilization and molecular breeding of this plant.

The Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta Lindl. & Paxton), a prominent ornamental species in the Aquifoliaceae family, is valued for its aesthetic appeal, m

"‘Zi Xia’: A New Purple-flowered Holly Cultivar" published on Jun 2025 by American Society for Horticultural Science.