Abstract
Taxonomic patterns in the distribution of alkaloids, phenolic compounds and cyanogenic glycosides in the genistoid group, which includes the tribes Brongniartieae, Genisteae, Thermopsideae, Crotalarieae, Podalyrieae, Euchresteae and part of the Sophoreae, are reviewed. Discontinuities in the distribution of secondary metabolites agree well with recent modifications to generic and tribal delimitations, and also with new phylogenetic hypotheses based on DNA sequence data. Examples of potential synapomorphies include the presence of quinolizidine alkaloids (genistoid group), Ormosia-type alkaloids (Ormosia group of Sophoreae, the Brongniartieae and Thermopsideae), absence of α-pyridone alkaloids (Podalyrieae, Crotalarieae and some Sophoreae), carboxylic acid esters of alkaloids (Cadia purpurea, Sophora inhambanensis and the Podalyrieae), quinolizidines of the matrine type (Euchresteae and Sophora species), 5-O-methylgenistein (Genisteae), vicenin-2 (Crotalarieae, Podalyrieae and some Sophoreae) and esters of cyanidin (purple-flowered Podalyrieae, excluding Hypocalyptus). Despite incomplete data and extensive homoplasy, secondary metabolites provide phylogenetic clues at all taxonomic levels.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 875-884 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Biochemical Systematics and Ecology |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2003 |
Keywords
- Anthocyanins
- Chemotaxonomy
- Crotalarieae
- Flavonoids
- Genisteae
- Genistoid legumes
- Podalyrieae
- Quinolizidine alkaloids
- Sophoreae
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Biochemistry