Anthocyanins in the epacridaceae

An examination of 73 species of the family Epacridaceae resulted in the identification of the following anthocyanins: cyanidin 3-galactoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-arabinoside, cyanidin 3-rhamnoside, cyanidin 3-rhamnosylgalactoside, cyanidin 3-rhamnosylglucoside, cyanidin 3-xylosylgalactoside, cyanidin 3-xylosylarabinoside, delphinidin 3-galactoside, delphinidin 3-arabinoside, delphinidin 3-rhamnosylgalactoside, delphinidin 3-rhamnosylglucoside and pelargonidin 3-rhamnosylglucoside. No acylated or 5-substituted anthocyanins were detected in any of the species examined. Evidence of methylated anthocyanidin was found only in one species, Woollsia pungens. The occurrence of cyanidin 3-galactoside and cyanidin 3-arabinoside forms a chemical link between this family and the related Ericaceae.