Genetic structure and conservation relevance in the narrowly distributed tree Catalpa huangxin revealed by RAD-Seq.

Summary: The Catalpa huangxin is a beautiful tree in China known for its strong, yellow wood. Sadly, climate change and human actions are causing its numbers to drop in the wild. To figure out how to save it, scientists looked at the DNA of almost 200 trees. They found that this rare tree is unique but closely related to another tree type. The trees fall into five main family groups with a fair amount of genetic mix. Knowing this helps experts make better plans to protect these rare trees and help them grow in the future.