Chemical Defences in Aquatic Plants

Abstract

(1) Fifteen species of aquatic vascular plants were examined for the presence of alkaloids. (2) The alkaloid content ranged from 0.13 mg g-1 dry weight in Heteranthera dubia to 0.56 mg g-1 dry weight in Potamogeton crispus. These concentrations are within a range which has been found to be pharmacologically active in previous studies, and can therefore serve as potential deterrents to herbivory. (3) Plant species examined contained from two to nine alkaloids isolated by thin-layer chromatography. Alkaloid arrays showed little similarity among species, even among nine species of the genus Potamogeton.