Anthocyanidins of Sarracenia L. Flowers and Leaves

Abstract

Additional index words. Sarracenia flava, Sarracenia leucophylla, Sarracenia psitticina, Sarracenia purpurea, Sarracenia rubra, pitcher plant, pigments, anthocyanin quantity (11%) was present in S. psitticina. Sarracenia flava has yellow flowers and contained no anthocyanidins. Romeom et al. (1977) reported that quercetin glycosides were the principal flavonols present in Sarracenia. In the biochemical pathway, dihydroquercetin is a precursor of both quercetin and cyanidin. Therefore, we expected to find cyanidin as the principal anthocyanidin in Sarracenia leaves and flowers. Romeo et al. (1977) found a small amount of kaempferol in Sarracenia, but we did not detect pelargonidin, which is derived from dihydrokaempferol. This also was not unexpected because many Petunia ×hybrida Hort. Vilm. cultivars contain small amounts of kaempferol and produce no pelargonidin (Griesbach and Asen, 1990; Griesbach et al., 1991). The discovery of delphinidin was not unexpected since Schnell (1978) had reported the presence of blue pigments in S. psittacina and S. purpurea. This current study identifies those blue pigments as delphinidin glycosides. Schnell, using TLC analysis, reported the presence of 13 different floral pigments. Our HPLC profiles of the floral anthocyanins of S. rubra and S. leucophylla before hydrolysis showed only a single anthocyanin peak (data not shown). In S. purpurea and S. psitticina, five different anthocyanin peaks were present, two of which were present in only trace amounts (data not shown). Many of the 13 pigments reported by Schnell were probably breakdown products. Further studies are needed to identify the sugar(s) attached to the two major anthocyanidins.