Chemotaxonomy of Anseriformes

The composition of the uropygial gland wax of 8 species of birds of the order Anseriformes was investigated. As was expected, the waxes are composed of more or less methyl-branched fatty acids and alcohols. The results obtained have been compared with those on other species of Anseriformes and discussed from a chemotaxonomical viewpoint. For this purpose the various parameters have been depicted on a 3-dimensional matrix.     

Chemotaxonomy of Geranium

The species of Geranium show a wide range of flavonoid pattern, from one in which ail the regular (primitive) constituents are present to one where only quercetin and kaempferol are present. The primitive pattern predominates in the central Eurasian area, radiating eastward and westward from which the flavonoid constituents become progressivley impoverished. A "flavonoid score" providing a numerical estimate of this impoverishment is proposed. The results are presented and discussed in relation to Knuth's arrangement of the genus.     

Chemotaxonomy of aerobic Actinomycetes: Phospholipid composition

A survey of the phospholipid composition of 97 strains representing 20 genera of the Actinomycetales showed that five groups could be distinguished on the basis of the presence or absence of certain nitrogenous phospholipids. Phospholipid type PI (no nitrogenous phospholipids) is characteristic of the genera Actinomadura (madurae, pelletieri).Corynebacterium, Microtetraspora and Nocardioides. Actinomycetes of Type PII contain only one nitrogenous phospholipid, phosphatidyl ethanolamine. These include members of the genera Actinoplanes, Chainia, Dactylosporangium, Microellobosporia, Micromonospora, Micropolyspora (brevicatena), Mycobacterium, Nocardia (all species examined but autotrophica), Streptomyces and Streptoverticillium. Phospholipid pattern type PIII (characteristic phospholipid, phosphatidyl choline) was found in Actinomadura (dassonvillei). Micropolyspora (faeni), Nocardia (autotrophica), and Pseudonocardia. Actinomycetes having a type P IV pattern contain an unknown, previously undescribed phospholipid containing glucosamine (GluNU) which was found to be characteristic of members of the genera Intrasporangium, Microbispora and Streptosporangium. Actinomycetes of type PV contain phosphatidyl glycerol in addition to GluNU and include members of the genera Promicromonospora and Oerskovia. Other phospholipids found variably in all groups included phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl inositol mannosides, phosphatidyl methylethanolamine, acyl phosphatidyl glycerol (APG) and diphosphatidyl glycerol (DPG). The fatty acids present in DPG (or APG when DPG was absent) may be species-specific. The chemical heterogeneity of the genera Actinomadura, Corynebacterium, Micropolyspora and Nocardia is discussed.     

Bromophenols of Rhodomela larix: Chemotaxonomy of morphological forms

The bromophenols of two morphological forms of Rhodomela larix were examined. GLC-MIS analyses revealed five bromophenols in a low intertidal form of the alga and four of the same compounds in a tidepool form. The results are discussed in relation to the chemotaxonomy of the species.     

Chemotaxonomy of the genus Talaromyces

Species of the ascomycetous genus Talaromyces have been examined for profiles of secondary metabolites on TLC. The greatest number of specific metabolites were produced on oatmeal-, malt extract- and yeast-extract sucrose agars. Profiles of intracellular secondary metabolites produced on oatmeal agar were specific for each species and provided a means of simple differentiation of the taxa. Examination of the most important species using high performence liquid chromatography (HPLC) allowed to solve some taxonomic problems. Known mycotoxins are produced by T. stipitatus (duclauxin, talaromycins, botryodiploidin), T. stipitatus chemotype II (emodin), T. panasenkoi (spiculisporic acid), T. trachyspermus (spiculisporic acid), T. trac macrosporus (duclauxin) and T. wortmannii (rugulosin). Wortmannin is produced by an atypical strain of T. flavus but not T. wortmannii. Several other secondary metabolites were discovered for the first time in the following species: Glauconic acid is produced by T. panasenkoi, T. ohiensis and T. trachyspermus; vermiculine by T. ohiensis; duclauxin by T. flavus var. macrosporus and the mitorubrins by T. flavus and T. udagawae. The profiles of secondary metabolites support the established taxonomy of the species based on morphology, showing the genetic stability of profiles of secondary metabolites in Talaromyces. Two new taxa are proposed: T. macrosporus comb. nov. (stat. anam. Penicillium macrosporum stat. nov.), and Penicillium vonarxii, sp. nov. for the anamorph of T. luteus.     

Chemotaxonomy of the Oleaceae: iridoids as taxonomic markers

The distribution and biosynthesis of iridoid glucosides in the Oleaceae is reviewed and five distinct biosynthetic pathways to iridoids have been identified in the family, deoxyloganic acid apparently being a common intermediate. Likewise, the distributions of caffeoyl phenylethanoid glycosides (CPGs), i.e. verbascoside and its analogues, as well as cornoside are listed. Iridoid glucoside data exist for 17 genera of Oleaceae and the occurrence of iridoids from the different biosynthetic pathways correlate extremely well with the phylogenetic classification inferred from recent chloroplast DNA sequence data. Thus the tribe Fontanesieae (Fontanesia) contains "normal" secoiridoids, Forsythieae (Abeliophyllum, Forsythia) contains cornoside and/or iridoids from the forsythide pathway, Myxopyreae (Myxopyrum, Nyctanthes) have iridoids from the myxopyroside pathway, and finally, the two tribes Jasmineae and Oleeae (the remaining genera) both contain iridoids from the oleoside pathway. Within Jasmineae, one group of Jasminum sp. is characterized by the presence of jasminin or similar compounds, while another group of Jasminum species and Menodora display derivatives of 10-hydroxyoleoside, compounds not present in the other group. CPGs are reported from about half of the species investigated. With regard to taxonomy at the order level, the chemical data might support a position within or close to Lamiales due to the common presence of CPGs, the iridoids being of less significance since they are of a type that are barely found elsewhere.     

中国省藤属(棕榈科)区系地理研究

省藤属（Calamus L．）属棕榈科（Palmae）省藤亚科（Calamoideae）,是棕榈科中最大的属,约有370种。中国是其天然分布的北缘,共有37种26变种,种数约占世界的10％,有西南和东南两大分布中心;省藤属的天然分布地域性较强,各地区特有种比例较高;在区系上,西南分布中心和中南半岛西部、南亚的省藤区系都有较强的联系,东南分布中心与中南半岛东部的联系更为紧密。     

Chemotaxonomy of the genus pleiotaxis*

Pleiotaxis rugosa afforded several acetylenic compounds, the sesquiterpenes janerin and the corresponding methacrylate as well as three chalcones, one not being reported previously. The compounds isolated indicate that this genus may be better placed in the Cynareae than in the Mutisieae.     

Chemotaxonomy of some problematic palaeozoic plants

Chemical data are given on the remains of nine fossil genera ranging from Precambrian to Carboniferous in age (Chuaria, Sporangites, Taeniocrada, Orestovia, Parka, Protosalvinia, Spongiophyton, Solenites, Botryococcus). It is suggested that such chemical data are useful additional criteria in making taxonomic assignments in palaeontology. Analyses indicate a high level of organic chemical diversity, although the original composition has evidently been altered by temperature and pressure over a long period of time. The labile chemical constituents are retained within a more chemically inert carbon matrix, which shows a progressive alteration of the ratios of C, N, O and H with respect relative age, similar to that seen in the coalification process.The chemical composition of Sporangites specimens is more suggestive of an animal rather than a plant affinity; it is here suggested that this genus represents in part the remains of some animal egg test. Hydrolytic products of Solenites and Taeniocrada indicate the presence of aliphatic hydroxy acids suggesting the presence of cutin and suberin. The chemical compositions of Orestovia, Parka, Protosalvinia, Spongiophyton and Botryococcus are interpreted as being consistent with an algal rather than a vascular plant affinity. Evidence for extreme diagenesis of the acritarch-like Chuaria greatly limits chemotaxonomic consideration. The possible role of thermal and biotic-thermal degradation patterns seen in palaeochemistry is discussed.     

Mauritiella (Palmae) Reconsidered

The palm genusMauritiella is reconsidered, and six species are placed in synonymy withMauritia.     

Chemotaxonomy of Gonospermum and related genera

Aerial parts of Gonospermum fruticosum collected at several locations in the Canary Islands afforded, in addition to known compounds, four sesquiterpene alcohols related to costol and a sesquiterpene lactone, whose structures were established on the basis of their spectroscopic data and chemical transformations. Except for Gonospermum species collected on the island of Tenerife, those collected on the island of El Hierro and, in a previous study those from La Gomera, contain sesquiterpene lactones that can be used as chemotaxonomic markers confirming the inclusion of Gonospermum, Lugoa, and species of Tanacetum endemic to the Canary Islands in a genus that does not support the monophyly of Gonosperminae.     

Chemotaxonomy and phytochemical ecology of bracken

Variations in flavonoids extracted from fronds suggest that Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn is a monospecific genus. A wide range of secondary plant substances also occur in bracken including sesquiterpenoids, echydones, cyanogenic glycosides, tannins and phenolic acids.     

Chemotaxonomy of Portuguese Ulex: quinolizidine alkaloids as taxonomical markers

Six species of Portuguese Ulex L. in a total of nineteen populations were studied by GC-EIMS as to their content in quinolizidine alkaloids. Sparteine, beta-isosparteine, jussiaeiine A, N-methylcytisine, cytisine, 5,6-dehydrolupanine, rhombifoline, lupanine, jussiaeiine B, N-formylcytisine, N-acetylcytisine, anagyrine, jussiaeiine C, jussiaeiine D, pohakuline, baptifoline, and epibaptifoline were detected. Analysis of the chromatograms showed that the chemical profile of all species was mainly composed of N-methylcytisine, cytisine, anagyrine, and jussiaeiines A, B, C and D. Therefore a quantification study of these alkaloids in all the populations studied was done by GC. These data were then submitted to cluster analysis and principal component analysis, which allowed the definition of five chemotypes and the recognition of hybrids. N-methylcytisine, cytisine, and jussiaeiines A, C and D are recognized as markers of this genus in Portugal.     

Chemotaxonomy and evolution of Plantago L.

In continuation of our investigations of the genus Plantago L. (Plantaginaceae), sixteen species were investigated with respect to water-soluble glycosides. The iridoids auroside, strictoloside and globularicisin, as well as poliumoside, 3-[(4--D-glucopyranosyloxy)phenyl]propionic acid and 2-[4-(-D-glucopyranosyloxy)phenyl]acetic acid were isolated from Plantago for the first time. The latter compound has not previously been isolated as a natural product. Sorbitol was the main carbohydrate in all the species investigated. The distribution of iridoids correlates well with the morphological classification of Rahn and also with a recently published molecular phylogenetic study of nuclear ribosomal and plastid DNA sequences. A new chemotaxonomic finding is an abundance of iridoid glucosides present in one of the two groups within subgenus Coronopus section Coronopus, while the other group lacks iridoids, supporting a subdivision of this section. Moreover, in subgenus Albicans, 10-benzoylcatalpol is a characteristic constituent of section Gnaphaloides, while the corresponding cinnamoyl ester globularin occurs in section Lanceifolia. In biosynthetic experiments, labelled epideoxyloganic acid and deoxygeniposidic acid were incorporated into aucubin and geniposidic acid in Plantago ovata, consistent with earlier findings, but no incorporation into asperuloside was observed. The evolution of biosynthetic pathways in Plantago is discussed.     

Cuticular Hydrocarbons of Orchid Bees Males: Interspecific and Chemotaxonomy Variation

Recent studies have investigated the composition of compounds that cover the cuticle in social insects, but few studies have focused on solitary bees. Cuticular hydrocarbons may provide a tool for chemotaxonomy, and perhaps they can be used as a complement to morphology and genetic characters in phylogenetic studies. Orchid bees (Tribe Euglossini) are a highly diverse group of Neotropical bees with more than 200 species. Here, the cuticular hydrocarbons of 17 species were identified and statistical analysis revealed 108 compounds, which allowed for the taxonomic classification according to the genera. The most significant compounds discriminating the four genera were (Z)-9-pentacosene, (Z,Z)-pentatriacontene-3, (Z)-9-tricosene, and (Z)-9-heptacosene. The analyses demonstrated the potential use of CHCs to identify different species.     

Chemotaxonomy of the Oscillatoria-Phormidium complex

Five species of Phormidium and eight species of Oscillatoria were compared in terms of carotenoids, biliproteins, protein profiles and α-esterases, leucine aminopeptidase and phosphatase zymograms. The data from protein profiles and α-esterase zymograms support morphological criteria in recognizing four groups of conspecific taxa: O. tenuis, O. amoena, and O. animalis; O. chalybea and O. formosa; P. foveolarum and P. luridum var. olivacea; and P. persicinum and P. ectocarpii. Problems of Cyanophycean taxonomy are considered in terms of biochemical adjuncts to conventional criteria in characterizing and distinguishing species.     

Chemotaxonomy and geographical distribution of tropane alkaloids

This review illustrates the distribution of tropane alkaloids within the families Solanaceae, Erythroxylaceae, Proteaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Rhizophoraceae, Convolvulaceae and Cruciferae. Whereas tropane alkaloids are characteristic of the genera Datura, Brugmansia (tree datura) and Duboisia of the Solanaceae, the distribution is more widespread with novel tropane derivatives in families not traditionally associated with these bases. The chemical nature of more recently discovered water-soluble calystegines and the di- and trimeric forms from the Convolvulaceae (e.g. schizanthines from Schizanthus spp.), truxillines from Bolivian coca leaves and moonines of Erythroxylum moonii are highlighted. Where possible and appropriate, links between the phytochemistry and taxonomy are discussed.