Chemotaxonomic significance of leaf wax n-alkanes in the Pinales (Coniferales) (original) (raw)
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Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 1996
The chemotaxonomic significance of leaf wax n-alkanes was studied in 112 species and cultivars belonging to the Pinaceae, Cupressaceae, Podocarpaceae, Araucariaceae, Cephalotaxaceae, Sciadopityaceae and Taxaceae (Pinales). In general, n-alkanes ranged from 18 to 34 carbon numbers. In the Pinales, C 31 was the most abundant n-alkane (20.17%±1.68), followed by C 27 (2.84%±0.41), C 29 (2.59%±0.49) and C 25 (2.41%±0.22). In the Araucariaceae, n-alkane composition was characterized by low relative percentages of C 31 (5.23%±1.58), whereas the Cephalotaxaceae were characterized by high percentages of C 29 (31.95%±2.05) and C 27 (28.00%±1.00). The Cupressaceae had a mean composition of n-alkanes characterized by moderate percentages of C 31 (18.31%±2.32) and C 33 (5.36%±1.07), whereas in the Pinaceae, C 31 was the main n-alkane (25.40%±2.56). The Podocarpaceae were characterized by moderate percentages of C 29 (12.69%±9.16), C 31 (10.77%±2.70), C 27 (7.37%±5.83) and C 33 (6.59%± 5.71), whereas the Taxaceae had high percentages of C 31 (34.94%±7.85). Sciadopitys verticillata showed low percentages of all n-alkanes. Discriminant Analysis (DA) of the Araucariaceae, Cupressaceae and Pinaceae showed a good discrimination among subfamilies. Cluster Analysis (CA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) performed on species of the Pinales, showed a good separation among the families. The direct comparison of the present data with those obtained on species belonging to eleven angiosperm families provided further evidence of the chemotaxonomic significance of leaf wax n-alkanes.
Discriminant analysis of leaf wax alkanes in the Lamiaceae and four other plant families
Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 1994
Leaf wax n-alkanes and iso-alkanes were determined in several species of the Lamiaceae and used as chemotaxonomic characters. These alkane classes were also determined in species belonging to Boraginaceae, Verbenaceae, Solanaceae and Scrophulariaceae and the results were compared to those obtained from the Lamiaceae. The plot of area percentages of some n-alkanes and iso-alkanes provided a good partition both inside the Lamiaceae and among the five different families examined. Discriminant analysis provided a much deeper insight into pattern partition confirming the chemotaxonomic usefulness of leaf wax alkanes. The data obtained for Lamiaceae are also discussed with regard to different systematic subdivisions of the family.
Molecular n-alkyl leaf waxes of three dominant plants from the temperate forest in South America
The n-alkyl leaf waxes of the temperate forest of South America are poorly studied, despite being a biogeographically isolated forest spanning wide environmental conditions. To evaluate whether local species adaptation and environmental changes influence the n-alkyl leaf wax composition, we measured the molecular abundance and distribution of n-alkyl leaf waxes (n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanes and n-alkanols) of three dominant native species from southern temperate forest in South America. We surveyed Araucaria araucana (n = 9), Nothofagus dombeyi (n = 17) and Chusquea sp. (n = 21) at different elevations. The relationship of n-alkyl leaf wax abundance and distribution with elevation is not significant in any species, except for n-alkane ACL (average chain length) in Chusquea sp. Significant correlations are found for n-alkanoic acid abundance with precipitation and aridity in Chusquea sp. and n-alkane abundance and ACL with temperature in A. araucana. These data suggest a species-specific response to environmental variables. The main similarity in the three species is a higher abundance of n-alkanoic acids (>60%) relative to other n-alkyl leaf waxes. Only n-alkanols are not correlated to any environmental variable, and neither ACL nor C max overlap among species. These results suggest n-alkanols as a potential chemotaxonomic indicator at a lower taxonomic level in the region.
n-alkanes in needle waxes of Pinus heldreichii var. pančići
Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society, 2010
This is the first report of n-alkanes in needle epicuticular waxes of the variety Bosnian pine, Pinus heldreichii var. pančići. n-Hexane extracts of needle samples, originating from seven isolated localities in Serbia, were analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results evidenced n-alkanes ranging from C 18 to C 33 in epicuticular waxes. The most abundant alkanes were C 27 , C 23 , C 25 and C 29 (12.53 %, 12.46 %, 12.00 % and 10.38 % on average, respectively). The carbon preference index (CPI total ) of Pinus heldreichii var. pančići ranged from 1.1 to 2.1 (1.6 on average), while the average chain length (ACL total ) ranged from 25.0 to 25.8 (25.3 on average). A high level of individual quantitative variation in all of these hydrocarbon parameters was also found. The obtained results were compared with the bibliographic references for Pinus heldreichii var. leucodermis and other species of the Pinus genus.
Even carbon number predominance of plant wax n-alkanes
Organic Geochemistry, 2000
The distributions of n-alkanes of four species of Micromeria have the conventional higher plant pattern of high carbon preference index (CPI) and odd-numbered carbon dominance (maxima at n-C 31 or n-C 33 ), rather than the evennumbered predominance previously reported (Palic , R., Ristic , N., Simic , N., Kitic , D., Kapetanovic , R., 1997. The alkanes from some plants of Micromeria genus. Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society 62, 619±622). The stable carbon isotope ratio values (d 13 C) of the individual n-alkanes (À38 to À34%) are typical of C 3 plants. Homologous series of odd-numbered predominant iso-alkanes (i-C 27 to i-C 35 ) and even-numbered predominant anteiso-alkanes (a-C 27 to a-C 35 ) are also present (8 to 18% of the total identi®ed alkanes) and have similar carbon isotopic ratios (À36.8 toÀ35.1%). #
Chemistry & Biodiversity, 2012
This is the first report on the composition and variability of the needle-wax n-alkanes in natural populations of Pinus nigra in Serbia. Samples of 195 trees from seven populations belonging to several infraspecific taxa (ssp. nigra, var. gocensis, ssp. pallasiana, and var. banatica) were analyzed. In general, the size of the n-alkanes ranged from C 16 to C 33 , with the exception of ssp. nigra, for which it ranged from C 18 to C 33. The most abundant were C 23-, C 25-, C 27-, and C 29-alkanes. The needle waxes of Populations I-III and V were characterized by a higher content of C 23-, C 25-, and C 27-alkanes and a lower content of C 24-, C 26-, C 28-, and C 30-alkanes, compared to the other populations, and the trees of these populations could be assigned to ssp. nigra. The samples of Population VI were characterized by higher amounts of C 22-, C 24-, C 30-, and C 32-alkanes and lower amounts of C 25-and C 27-alkanes, and the trees could be considered as ssp. pallasiana. The samples of Population VII, consisting of trees belonging to var. banatica, were richer in C 29-, C 31-, and C 33-alkanes. The wax compositions of Populations IV and V, both composed of trees previously determined as P. nigra var. gocensis, showed a tendency of splitting. Indeed, the alkane composition of Population IV was closer to that of ssp. pallasiana pines, while that of Population V was more similar to that of ssp. nigra pines. From the results presented here, it is obvious that in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula, significant diversification and differentiation of the populations of black pine exists, and these populations could be defined as different intraspecific taxa. Our results also indicate the validity of n-alkanes as chemotaxonomic characters within this aggregate.
Hydrocarbon constituents of the wax coatings of plant leaves: A taxonomic survey
Phytochemistry, 1962
gas-chromatographic study has been made of the hydrocarbon content of the leaf waxes of the sub-family Sempervivoideae (Crassulaceae). through the study of a compact grouping of closely related genera endemic to the Canary Islands. Within the limits of the investigation, it has been shown that a single species possesses a fairly constant hydrocarbon distribution pattern. thereby justifying the use of this criterion for taxonomic urposes. with the botanical class1 *?i
Hydrocarbons of leaf epicuticular waxes of Pilocarpus (Rutaceae)
Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 1998
The hydrocarbon patterns of the foliar epicuticular waxes of 11 species of Pilocarpus (Rutaceae) are presented. P. jaborandi has a unique pattern of wax hydrocarbons, due to the presence of relatively high amounts of 1-phenyl-5-vinyl, 5,9-dimethyl-decane. Most species presented either C or C as main n-alkanes and they may be distinguished by the two most abundant alkanes of each distribution. Two varieties and three subspecies of P. spicatus were studied, which can be characterized by their alkane patterns. A cluster analysis using UPGMA splits the samples analyzed into three groups: (a) two samples of P. jaborandi, both with the aromatic hydrocarbon as main constituent; (b) species with either a predominance of C or a wide distribution of n-alkanes; (c) species with C as main n-alkane. If the aromatic hydrocarbon is not considered, UPGMA splits the samples into two major clusters, with a branching pattern very similar to the previously described analysis, except for the inclusion of the three samples of P. jaborandi in close proximity into a cluster shared also by P. microphyllus and P. trachylophus.
Nonacosan-10-ol and n-Alkanes in Leaves of Pinus pinaster
Natural Product Communications, 2020
In leaf cuticular wax of Pinus pinaster, content of nonacosan-10-ol is high (77.1% on average). n-Alkanes ranged from C18 to C35 with the most dominant C29 (24.8%). The carbon preference index (CPItotal) ranged from 3.1 to 5.6 (4.0 on average), while the average chain length (ACLtotal) ranged from 14.0 to 17.0 (14.8 on average). Long-chain n-alkanes ( n-C25-35) strongly dominated (80.1%) over middle-chain ( n-C21-24 = 18.9%) and short-chain ( n -C18-20 = 0.9%) n-alkanes.