The distribution of some nitrogenous constituents in the tea plant

Abstract

Abstract A survey was made of the various nitrogenous constituents of the tea plant using paper chromatography. The following parts of the plant were examined: leaves, bark and wood of stems and roots, feeder roots and fruits (pericarp and cotyledons). Theanine was present in every organ except the fruit and tended to be the major amino acid of the plant. Glutamic acid, aspartic acid and glutamine also occurred universally and in relatively high concentrations, and serine, alanine and γ‐aminobutyric acid, though generally present, occurred in smaller quantities. The wood of stems and roots contained appreciable quantities of a ninhydrinreactive compound which streaked like histidine. Pipecolic acid was present in appreciable quantities only in the fruits. The amino acids of the hot‐water‐soluble proteins of the various tissues have been determined and certain differences between them were noted.