Studies on Flavonoids in the Leaves of Coniferae and Allied Plants. V

Abstract

Coniferae plants, amounting to six families, 30 genera, ca. 70 species, and closely related Ephedra gerardiana WALL. (Gnetales) and Casuarina stricta AIT. (Casuarinaceae) were examined for the presence of bisflavonoids, such as kayaflavone, sciadopitysin, ginkgetin, and sotetsuflavone, and the results obtained are listed in Table I. Distribution of these components was approximately in parallel with the position of these plants in plant taxonomy and a relationship between them was recognized. The most interesting fact was that hinokiflavone was present only in the order Cupressales of Cupressaceae family and in Taxodiaceae family, while bisflavonoid was not detected in the pine family.