A chemotaxonomic survey of flavonoids in leaves of the Oleaceae

Abstract

Leaves of 97 taxa representing all the genera at present recognized in the family Oleaceae were surveyed for flavonoids. Four flavonol glycosides were found to be common, the 3-glucmides and 3-rutinosides of quercetin and kaempferol, as were four flavone glycosides, namely the 7-glurosides arid 7-rutinosides of luteolin and apigenin. Among rarer constituents detected were luteolin 4'-glucoside, eriodictyol 7-glucoside, chrysoeriol 7-glucoside, an apigenin-di-C-glycoside and several higher glycosides of quercetin. The species and genera surveyed fell into two groups: those with flavonol glycosides alone; and those with both flavonol and flavone glycosides. The most striking correlation was with chromosome number (and subfamily division) since almost all taxa with a basic number of 11, 13 and 14 had only flavonol glycosides, whereas most taxa with x = 23 had both types of flavonoid. Evolutionary advancement in the family appears to involve the gradual replacement of flavonol by flavone glycosides. Indeed, a few tam, notably Nestegis apelala, Picconia excelsa and Tesserandra fluminense, lacked flavonol glycosides in the leaves completely. At the lower levels of classification, the distribution of flavonoids is of less interest. However, the patterns in Linociera and Chionanthus, two taxa recently made congeneric, are sufficiently different to suggest that this decision might have to be reconsidered when more is known of their chemistry. Otherwise leaf patterns generally fit in with the existing generic classification in the family.