Leaf flavonoids as systematic characters in the genera Lavandula and Sabaudia

A comprehensive survey of the leaf flavonoids of the genus Lavandula and th e related Sabaudia group was carried out using two-dimensional paper chroma tography and highperformance liquid chromatography. The flavonoid patterns obtained were found to be systematically informative at the infrageneric le vel. Three main groupings were identified: the first containing sections La vandula, Dentata and Stoechas characterised by the accumulation of flavone 7-glycosides; the second containing sections Pterostoechas, Subnuda and Cha etostachys characterised by the accumulation of 8-hydroxylated flavone 7- a nd 8-glycosides; the third encompassing the Sabaudia group and accumulating both flavone and 8-hydroxylated flavone 7-glycosides, Such a grouping of t axa is congruent with data from other disciplines, although it is not recog nised in any present classifications. The taxonomic and evolutionary implic ations of the flavonoid data are discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.