CHEMOTAXONOMIC VALUE OF ANTHOCYANINS IN THE TRIBE LIPARIEAE (FABACEAE)

The major anthocyanins of the tribe Liparieae have been identified. Pi nk and purple flowers in Amphithalea and Coelidium contain the acetic acid and coumaric acid esters of cyanidin, closely similar to the patt ern reported for the tribe Podalyrieae. The purple flowers of Hypocaly ptus, however, differ markedly from all the genera of both tribes; the y contain malvidin rather than cyanidin and peonidin; the malvidin pig ment is present as the and glucoside in fresh flowers, and it is not e sterified as in all other purple-flowered genera. The petals of Lipari a flowers contain the 3-sophorosides of cyanidin and pelargonidin, whi le the bracts have the 3-glucosides of cyanidin and peonidin. These re sults support the idea of a close relationship between the Liparieae a nd Podalyrieae but also agree with other evidence that Hypocalyptus is only superficially similar to the genera of these two tribes.