Flavonoids and taxonomy of the Limnanthaceae

The Limnanthaceae is a small family of North American annual herbs with uncertain relationships. It is generally recognized to consist of two genera, Limnanthes and Floerkea, together containing 10 species with 13 varieties and subspecies. To help clarify relationships within this family, a compara...

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Main Author: Parker, William Harrison
Language:English
Published: 2010
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2429/19765
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spelling ndltd-UBC-oai-circle.library.ubc.ca-2429-197652018-01-05T17:40:11Z Flavonoids and taxonomy of the Limnanthaceae Parker, William Harrison The Limnanthaceae is a small family of North American annual herbs with uncertain relationships. It is generally recognized to consist of two genera, Limnanthes and Floerkea, together containing 10 species with 13 varieties and subspecies. To help clarify relationships within this family, a comparative flavonoid investigation was undertaken. All taxa were compared on the basis of flavonoids occurring in all tissues, and most Limnanthes taxa were additionally compared on the basis of flavonoids occurring in the petals and the ultraviolet reflectance characteristics of their flowers. A total of hd flavonol glycosides were encountered. Of these, 35 were identified as derivatives of six flavonol aglycone types: syringetin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, laricytrin (myricetin 3'-methyl ether), quereetin and myricetin, all glycosylated with combinations of glucose and rhamnose. The flavonoid data were analyzed by three numerical taxonomic techniques: clustering by the weighted pair group method, Principal Components Analysis, and Varimax Factor Analysis with rotation. Duplicate comparisons were made according to type of tissue analyzed and concentrations of flavonoids considered. Classifications based on petal flavonoids occurring in relatively higher concentrations were found to reflect most clearly natural relationships in Limnanthes. The ultraviolet reflectance characteristics of flowers were found to distinguish one supra-specific group of Limnanthes taxa from the remainder of the genus. The adaptive significance of ultraviolet patterning is discussed, together with its implications concerning flavonoid compositions. The method and validity of using flavonoids as taxonomic characters is also discussed. Flavonoid and ultraviolet reflectance characteristics are integrated with all other taxonomi-cally significant information known for the Limnanthaceae, and proposals for taxonomic revision are made. A synopsis of the family is presented which recognizes one genus, Floerkea, containing 15 species with 5 varieties. Science, Faculty of Botany, Department of Graduate 2010-02-08T19:16:04Z 2010-02-08T19:16:04Z 1975 Text Thesis/Dissertation http://hdl.handle.net/2429/19765 eng For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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language English
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description The Limnanthaceae is a small family of North American annual herbs with uncertain relationships. It is generally recognized to consist of two genera, Limnanthes and Floerkea, together containing 10 species with 13 varieties and subspecies. To help clarify relationships within this family, a comparative flavonoid investigation was undertaken. All taxa were compared on the basis of flavonoids occurring in all tissues, and most Limnanthes taxa were additionally compared on the basis of flavonoids occurring in the petals and the ultraviolet reflectance characteristics of their flowers. A total of hd flavonol glycosides were encountered. Of these, 35 were identified as derivatives of six flavonol aglycone types: syringetin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, laricytrin (myricetin 3'-methyl ether), quereetin and myricetin, all glycosylated with combinations of glucose and rhamnose. The flavonoid data were analyzed by three numerical taxonomic techniques: clustering by the weighted pair group method, Principal Components Analysis, and Varimax Factor Analysis with rotation. Duplicate comparisons were made according to type of tissue analyzed and concentrations of flavonoids considered. Classifications based on petal flavonoids occurring in relatively higher concentrations were found to reflect most clearly natural relationships in Limnanthes. The ultraviolet reflectance characteristics of flowers were found to distinguish one supra-specific group of Limnanthes taxa from the remainder of the genus. The adaptive significance of ultraviolet patterning is discussed, together with its implications concerning flavonoid compositions. The method and validity of using flavonoids as taxonomic characters is also discussed. Flavonoid and ultraviolet reflectance characteristics are integrated with all other taxonomi-cally significant information known for the Limnanthaceae, and proposals for taxonomic revision are made. A synopsis of the family is presented which recognizes one genus, Floerkea, containing 15 species with 5 varieties. === Science, Faculty of === Botany, Department of === Graduate
author Parker, William Harrison
spellingShingle Parker, William Harrison
Flavonoids and taxonomy of the Limnanthaceae
author_facet Parker, William Harrison
author_sort Parker, William Harrison
title Flavonoids and taxonomy of the Limnanthaceae
title_short Flavonoids and taxonomy of the Limnanthaceae
title_full Flavonoids and taxonomy of the Limnanthaceae
title_fullStr Flavonoids and taxonomy of the Limnanthaceae
title_full_unstemmed Flavonoids and taxonomy of the Limnanthaceae
title_sort flavonoids and taxonomy of the limnanthaceae
publishDate 2010
url http://hdl.handle.net/2429/19765
work_keys_str_mv AT parkerwilliamharrison flavonoidsandtaxonomyofthelimnanthaceae
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