Floral Anthocyanins of Aquilegia and Their Relationship to Distribution and Pollination Biology of the Species

Abstract

TAYLOR, R. J. (Dept. Biol., Western Washington Univ., Bellingham, WA 98225) Floral anthocyanins of Aquilegia and their relationship to distribution and pollination biology of the species. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 111: 462-468. 1984-Employing chromatographic and spectrophotometric methods, floral anthocyanins of Aquilegia species were identified. Major pigments proved to be acylated 3-monoglucosides and 3,5-diglucosides of delphinidin, pelargonidin, and cyanidin. The acyl component was tentatively identified as ferulic acid. Non-acylated forms of these pigments were also isolated, though perhaps as hydrolysis products. The infrequently reported 3-xylosylglucoside-5-glucosides of delphinidin and pelargonidin were isolated from floral extracts of A. alpina and A. formosa respectively. Based on anthocyanin (and carotenoid) profiles, representative species were grouped into four alliances: Alpina-Sibirica, Vulgaris-Flabellata, Caerulea-Longissima, Canadensis-Formosa. The naturalness of these groups is suggested by their similarity to species alliances derived using other characters. Finally, the relationship between floral pigmentation and regionally available pollinators is described as a classical example of coadaptation.