Flavone aglycones in glandular hairs of Origanum x intercedens

On the leaf surfaces of Origanum x intercedens numerous peltate glandular h airs producing essential oil occur. Although all glandular hairs have the s ame anatomical and developmental pattern, they differ in the appearance of the contents of the subcuticular space. Thus, in many hairs the subcuticula r space is homogeneously filled with essential oil, whereas in others, with in the mass of the oil numerous droplets constituting another phase exist. These droplets were tested for the presence of flavone aglycones. From the chloroform extract of glandular hairs, the free flavone aglycones thymusin( 5,6,4'-trihydroxy-7,8-dimethoxyflavone), 5,6,4'-trihydroxy-7,3'-dimethoxyfl avone, thymonin (5,6,4'-trihydroxy-7,8,3'-trimethoxyflavone), cirsimaritin (5,4'-dihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavone), and genkwanin (5,4'-dihydroxy-7-meth oxyflavone) have been isolated and identified by spectral methods. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.