Alkaloids of the genera Dicraeopetalum, Platycelyphium and Sakoanala

The presence of alkaloids in Dicraeopetalum, Platycelyphium and Sakoanala (Fabaceae, tribe Sophoreae) is reported for the first time. All three of these genera have a typical α-pyridone pattern, with N-methylcytisine, cytisine, N-formylcystisine, N-acetylcytisine, 5,6-dehydrolupanine, lupanine, anagyrine, baptifoline and epibaptifoline as major alkaloids. Other compounds that were identified include the bicyclic quinolizidines lupinine and epilupinine and the bipiperidyl alkaloid ammodendrine. The discovery of α-pyridone alkaloids in Dicraeopetalum in particular, has important taxonomic implications and casts further doubt on the monophyly of the Cadia group. Dicraeopetalum (and Lovanafia) may be better placed in the Sophora group, close to Neoharmsia, Sakoanala and Bolusanthus, thereby amalgamating all the Old World sophoroid genera with recaulescent bracts and α-pyridone alkaloids.