Leaf flavonoid and other phenolic glycosides as indicators of parentage in six ornamental Fuchsia species and their hybrids

Abstract

In a leaf flavonoid analysis of six Fuchsia species and seven Fuchsia hybrids, flavonols were found to be abundant in all taxa except F. procumbens. Flavone glycosides were found in only three species: luteolin 7-glucoside in F. splendens; and luteolin and apigenin 7-glucuronides and 7-glucuronidesulphates, tricin 7-glucuronidesulphate and diosmetin 7-glucuronide from one or both of the New Zealand species F. procumbens and F. excorticata. Luteolin 7- glucuronidesulphate is reported for the first time. Other less common phenolics identified include the flavanone, eriodictyol 7-glucoside from F. excorticata, a galloylglucose from F. triphylla, and a galloylglucosesulphate present in all taxa. Eight of the flavonoid glycosides proved useful as marker substances for particular Fuchsia species: quercetin 3- rhamnoside, 3-glucuronide and 3-rutinoside for F.fulgens; quercetin and kaempferol 3-galactosides for F. boliviana var. luxurians; diosmetin 7-glucuronide for F. excorticata and apigenin 7-glucuronide and 7-glucuronidesulphate for F. procumbens. The chemical results on the hybrids support the view that the cultivar ‘Mary’ is a hybrid of F. boliviana var. luxurians and F. triphylla and that both F.fulgens and F. triphylla are involved as parents of the cultivars ‘Koralle’ and ‘Traudchen Bondstedt’.