Composition and taxonomic distribution of leaf flavonoids inHebeandLeonohebe(Plantaginaceae) in New Zealand — 1. “Buxifoliatae”, “Flagriformes”, andLeonohebe

Abstract

A taxonomic revision of Hebe and Leonohebe in New Zealand has involved studies of both plant morphology and flavonoid chemistry. This paper is the first in a series that summarises the composition and taxonomic distribution of leaf flavonoids in the two genera. It describes the flavonoid glycosides encountered in a survey of c. 700 samples (from throughout the two genera), and outlines the distribution of flavonoids in species of "Buxifoliatae" and "Flagriformes" (informal infrageneric groups of Hebe) and in Leonohebe. The structures of 83 of the most commonly occurring flavonoids are identified (or tentatively identified); also recorded are 32 unidentified or partly identified flavonoids that are generally less common. Twenty-eight of the flavonoid glycosides have not previously been reported in other plant genera. Most species, in each of "Buxifoliatae", "Flagriformes", and Leonohebe, can be distinguished by their flavonoid profiles, generally through possession of unique combinations of compounds.

Composition and distribution of leaf flavonoids inHebeandLeonohebe(Plantaginaceae) in New Zealand — 2. “Apertae”, “Occlusae”, and “Grandiflorae”

“…Leonohebe). Of these, H. macrantha overlaps with H. pauciramosa, and is similar to H. propinqua, both of which are discussed in detail by Markham et al (2005) …”

“…Samples were collected, identified, and chemically analysed using the methods (including 2-dimensional paper chromatography (2D-PC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and mass spectrometry) described by Markham et al (2005). The details of all flavonoids mentioned in this paper (including names, structures, and some physico-chemical properties) are listed, by flavonoid number, in Markham et al (2005, table 1).…”

“…Multivariate (ordination) analyses of flavonoid data employed Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS; Kruskal 1964a,b) of matrices based on Manhattan distances (Sneath & Sokal 1973) as described by Markham et al (2005). Analyses were performed separately for each of "Apertae", large-leaved "Occlusae", small-leaved "Occlusae", and "Grandiflorae" sensu Moore (in Allan 1961).…”

“…it is part of a larger study toward a taxonomic revision of these genera, carried out jointly by the Museum of New Zealand, industrial Research ltd, and victoria University of wellington. The background to the project, together with an outline of the purpose of these papers and their format, are provided in the first paper (Markham et al 2005).…”

Geographic variation in theHebe albicanscomplex (Plantaginaceae) — morphology and flavonoid chemistry

“…In order to put observed patterns of flavonoid variation into context, samples of the H. albicans complex are also compared with those of eight ; all from the informal group "Subcarnosae"). Also included are two further species, H. topiaria and H. evenosa (both from the informal group "Occlusae"), whose flavonoid profiles were identified, from a preliminary examination of an extensive data set for all New Zealand Hebe (Markham et al 2005), to be most similar to those of the H. albicans complex.…”