ACYLATED CYANIDIN GLYCOSIDES IN THE RED-PURPLE FLOWERS OF PHALAENOPSIS

Four acylated anthocyanins were isolated from the red-purple flowers o f Phalaenopsis hybrid cultivars as major anthocyanins and their distri bution was investigated in the flowers of five species; P. equestris, P. intermedia, P. leucorrhoda, P. sanderiana and P. schilleriana culti var 'Pink Butterfly'. These four pigments were based on cyanidin 3,7,3 '-triglucoside as their deacylanthocyanin, which was acylated with two molecules of hydroxycinnamic acid and/or one molecule of malonic acid . Two anthocyanins were characterized as cyanidin -O-di-[6-O-(trans-si napyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside] and its demalonyl derivative by spectra l and chemical methods. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.