sign in sign up
<<
Home , Erodium malacoides, Geraniaceae, Geranium columbinum, Geranium dissectum

CHEMOTAXONOMY OF ^

T. SANT PRASAD REDDY AND L. L. NARAYANA Department of , Kakatiya University, Warangal

a b s t r a c t

The Chemotaxonomy of 10 ^ecies di»tributed in 3 genera of Geraniaceae has been investi­ gated. They exhibit similarities as well aa differences in their chemical characters. Leuco-antho- cyanins are present in the seeds ofall the spodes studied, except maiacoidet. The presence of triterpenoids in ErotHum matacaidti. dunctum and G. earolimanum and steroids in G. molU has been inferred. These are however absent in the re.naining taxa. The relatio.Dhips of Geraniaceae with , Balsaminaceae, Tropaeolaceae and Linmanthaceae have been discussed in the light of chemical data gathered from present study and the available data from other disciplines. It is pointed out that while the similarides in chemical characters indicate a probable relationship between them, the differences justify their treatment as independent families.

INTRODUCTION ha^ been placed under the order Gora- niales. There is however, difference of Geraniaceae comprises 5 genera and opiniort about the circumscription of the 750 (Willis, 1966). The members order, the number of families included of the family are cosmopolitan in dis­ under it being fieven according to Ben- tribution, mostly extending from Tem­ tliam and Hooker C1862-1883), twenty perate to sub-tropical regions of the World according to Engler and Pranti (1931), (L. H. Bailey, 1969). Most of the species twenty one according to Bessey (1915), are cultivated for their ornamental value. nineteen according to Takhtajan (1967), However, some of them are medicinally ten %pcording to Benson (1957), thirteen important (Chopra, Nayar and Chopra, according to Thom e (1968) and five 1956). according to Hutchinson (1959, 1973) Bentham and Hooker (1862-1883) and Cronquist (1968), treated Geraniaceae as a tribe, Geraniae While the family has received con­ under the family Geraniaceae, while Bes- siderable attention from the point of sey (1915), Engler and Pranti (1931), floral anatomy, embryology, anatomy an4gM Benson (1915), Hutchinson (1959), Thakh- palynology, it has not received much tajan (1967), Cronquist (1968) and Thome attention from the point of Chemotaxo­ (1968) accorded it the status of an in­ nomy. Gibbs (1974) reviewed the work dependent family, Gcraniaceae. In all on the Chemotaxonomy of Geraniaceae. the systems of classijficatbn the family Recently Bate-Smith (1973) worked on

1. AccQited for publication on November 4, 19B5. F&st author (X. S. P. S..) is grateful to Univetiity Grants Commission, New Delhi for the award of teacher feilowihip under Faculty Itnprovemsnt Programme. We e x p tm our deq|) seme of gratitude to the Director, Univetyity Botanic Gatdea, Denmark for ptovid- ing tbe «eedi of the difiismat i^eoiek the flavonoids of Geranium and discussed Hydroxyquinones, Tannin test and Alka­ the taxonomic implications of the distri­ loid test. bution of the substances. The present The Cigarette test was negative in all study deals with the Chemotaxonomy of the taxa except , Ero- Germittm colitmbimm L., G. dissecUm L., dium malacoides and inodorum G. molle L., G. pusillum Burm fil., G. pyre- which showed Oxalis reaction indicating naicum Burm fil., G. caroliniamm L., G. the acidic nature of the cell-sap. Oxalis rotuHaifolivm L., Erodiim cicutarium (L.) reaction was first reported by Dykyj- L’ He’ rit., E . malacoides (L.) WiUd., Sajfertova (1958) in the species of OxaUs. Pelargonium inodorum Willd. Stems, roots and leaves were tested separately to detect the presence or ab­ MATERIALS AND METHODS sence of leuco-anthocyanins. The diffe­ All the materials in the present study rent species differ in the site of localiza­ were collected from the raised tion of leuco-anthocyanins (present study). from seeds obtained from Denmark. They arc present in the stem and roots of Using fresh materials, consisting of Geranium carolianum, G. dissectum, G.pusillum, roots, stems, leaves and saponin G. rotundifolium, and test ‘A’, Syringin test ‘A’, Leuco-antho- Pelargonium inodorum and absent in Erodium cyanin test ‘A’, Juglone test ‘A’, Aurone cicutarium. Leuco-anthocyanins are present test ‘A’, Ehrlich test, HCN test, HCl/ in traces only in the leaves of Geranium Methanol test, Maule test, Cigarette test, rotundifolium and absent in all the remain­ Hot-Water test and the test for hydroxy- ing taxa (present study). However they are quinones were carried out. present in the seeds of all the species Using 80% methanolic extracts of under study with the exception of Erodium shade dried plants collected during malacoides. flowering and fruiting the tests for Sapo- According to Bate-Smith & Ribe- nins. Tannins, Phenols, Carbohydrates reau-Gayon (1959) the presence or absence (Molisch test), Flavonoids (Shinoda test). of leuco-anthocyanins in the testa reflects Alkaloids, Indoles (Ehrlich test), Lignans, more consis entiy the character and rela­ Leuco-anthocyanins, Triterpenoids (Nol- tionships of the family as a whole than ler’s testj. Steroids (Salkowski reaction) does their presence in the leaves. The and Labat test were carried out. presence of leuco-antliocyanins in leaves i.s influenced by herbaceous habit in the RESULTS AND DISCUSSION , while the seed coat is not so in­ The data gathered from the present fluenced or only to a lesser extent. When study are presented in the Tables I, II leuco-anthocyanins are present in the and III. leaves of a plant, they are almost always From the tables, it will be obvious present in the seeds also, but they may be that the different taxa of Geraniaceae present in the seeds, although absent from under the present study resemble one the leaves. Thus herbaceous members of another in the uniformly positive reaction Geraniaceae differ so far as the leaves are for Flavonoid test, Phenol test and Mo-,, concerned from the woody membcs of lisch test and uniformly negative reaction the in having no leuco-antho­ for Hot-Water test, HCN test, Syringin cyanins, but the seeds are consistently test‘A , Juglone test, Maule test, Aurone positive foi leucc -anthocyanins. test ‘A , Sapamn test ‘A’, E,hrlich test, Bate-Snuth and Lemer (1954) poin- T A B L E I

Tsm vnrR nssR m aterials

1 Auniae tert *A'. 2 Cigwrctte tot, 3 Ehrlich tot, 4 HCl/Methanol tot, 5 HCN tot, 6 Hot-Water tot, 7 Hydroxyquinone test, 8 Juglone teat; 9 Leucoanthocyanin test'A ’, 10 Maule test, 11 Saponin test, 12 Syringin tot.

Name oftbe plant 12345678 9 10 11 12

ErtMum cieutarium (L) , O.R — St— — O.R — — Lf~ — — •— L’ H e 'rit. R t— St— Rt—

EroJivn malocoitUs . O.R. — St+ — O.R — — Lf— — ? — (L) WiUd, R ti- St + R t+

Gtntmm caiolimamm . — — St— — — — — IX— — — — L. Rt+ St+(traa») R t+ (trao o )

Gmamtm caluman L,

OenniunKiifsictim L. . O.R — St-f- — — — — LI'— R t+ S t+ Rt +■

G trm iim molU L.

Geramwn pusillum . — — St+ — — — — Lf— — — — Burm. fil. R + S t+ R t+

Geramum pyttnaieum Burm. fil. , — — — — — — — — — — —

Gtraniam rotimdifolutm . — — S t+ — — ^ — — Lf-t- — — — L. Rti- St+ R t+

Pilargpnitm inaiorum . O.R — St-f — — — — U— — ? — wad. R tl- S t+ Rt-i-

O.R>«OsalU reaction; Lf«»Le*f; St=“ Stem ; Rt=»Root ted out that there is a tendency for the leuc»-anthocyanms in one or the other forination of ileuco-anthocyanins in tiie part of the plant body of the taxa studied more primitive taxa and absent from the (present study), their origin from a stock more advanced members of a phyletic which had ieucoanthocyanins,, can be series. Thus on this basis, Herbaceae of inferred. Hutchinson (1946, 1948) as a whole may Absence of cyanogenesis and alka- be regarded as phylogenetically advanced loids seem to characterise the family (prc- ovwr Lignosae. In view of the presence of sent study). TABLE II T e w s w it h '8 0 % m e t h a m o u o bx t * aots

1 Alkaknd tcM, 2 FUvonoid test, 3 Indoles test, 4 Labat test, 5 Leoco-anthoeyanin test, 6 liebermann' Burchard test, 7 Ugnan test, 8 Molisch test, 9 Noller’s test, 10 Phend test, 11 Salkowaki reaction, 12 Saponin test, 13 Tannins test.

Name of the plant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Endkim cicutarium {L) — + __ _ _ — + + _ -1- _ _ __ V H e’rit.

E ndiim nuUacoides (L) — + - - + + + + + + _ _ _ WiUd. Red

Gtranium carolinianum L. — + ~ + + + — + + + — — — blue green

Gtranium columbinwn L. — r — — — — t- — + _ _ _

Gemaum dismtuin L. — + _ — -t- + ~ + + + _ _ _ Gtraniunt motU L. — _ _ _ + — + _ f —

Gtrmiwn ptisUlam — + — — + — 4- — — — Bunn. &1.

Gtrmrnm frfwuacum — + — — ~ — — + — + — — Uurm. til.

Geranium rolundifolium L.— + __ + — + — — — Pelargonium imdenm —• X — — + — — + — + — — — WiUd.

TABLE III

Test with T e« with Test with Type of Name of the plant Mg/HGl conc. H SO aq. N ,0 H 4 compound

Eradium cicutarium (L.) L’ He’ rit. YeUow Yellow Brownish yellow Isoflavones £. malacoides (L) Willd. Rcddiih yeilow Reddish yellow YeUow Flavonol Gtranium carolimanam L. Yellow Olive groeo Yellow IsoBavones G. eolumbimim L. Pale yellow YeUow Pale yellow Isofiavooes G. dissectum L. Yellowish Yellowish YeUow Isofiavones green green

G. moiWL. YeUow Ydlow YeUow Isofiavones

G. pusillum Burm. fil. YeUow Reddish yellow Yellowish brown1 Flavone* YeUow YeUowiahred YeUow Flavonot Reddish Reddish ydlow Ydlow Flavonol YeUow YeUow Ydkwr Ifoflavones Negative reaction for Liebermann- positive results. Burchard test, Nollcr’s test and Salkowski Gibbs (1974) found a close correla­ reaction in Geramum columbinum, G, pusil- tion between positive HCl/Methanol test Um, G. pyrenaieuM, G. roimdifolium, Ero~ and positive reaction for leuco-anthocya- divm cimtarium and Pelargonium inodorum nins. In most of the taxa of present study, indicate that both tritercpenoids and ste­ there is a close correlation between positive roids are absent in these taxa. HCl/Methanol test and positive reaction By the positive reaction for Lieber- for leuco-anthocyanins, except in Geranium mannBurchard test (Red colour), Noller’s carolinianvm where Ieuco