Fluorescence of Lichen Depsides and Depsidones as a Taxonomic Criterion

Author(s): Mason E. Hale, Jr.

Source: Castanea, Vol. 21, No. 1 (Mar., 1956), pp. 30-32
Published by: Southern Appalachian Botanical Society
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 30

Fluorescence of Lichen Depsides and Depsidones

as a Taxonomic Criteriont
MASON E. HALE, JR.
Biochemistry is being enlisted frequently as a taxonomic criterion
in the study of lichens. It is now common practice to apply reagents
like potassium hydroxide or p-phenylenediame to the lichen thallus to
elicit color tests or even to identify the individual chemical components
microchemically. Another technique, fluorescence analysis, was recent-
ly employed by two taxonomists (Chernohorsky, 1950; Ozenda, 1951)
as an aid in species identification. Although certain species fluoresced
in ultraviolet radiation, the investigators made no effort to establish
the cause of this phenomenon. A study of the fluorescent properties
of the common depsides and depsidones extracted from lichens was
undertaken by the present writer in order to delimit this property for
taxonomic purposes.
The lichen substances were identified by the microchemical crystal
methods of Asahina (cf. Asahina, 1954) and by partition chromatog-
raphy (Wachtmeister, 1955). Purified samples as well as dried lichen
specimens of proven chemical constitution were exposed at 20 cm.
from a two tube laboratory UV lamp with Wood filters, trans'mitting
maximum radiation at 3600 A with a range of 3200-4000 A.
Results and Discussion
Nine purified substances exhibited intense fluorescence which was
plainly visible even in the thalli of lichens which contained them.
These are listed in Table I. Wavelength of emitted radiation was
TABLE I. Fluorescent lichen depsides and depsidones (*) with color emitted
and the chief soturce of the compound. The substances are listed in order of
decreasing intensity.
Acid Color emitted Source
*Alectoronic aci(l bluish-white Cetraria richardsonii
Squamatic acid white Cladonia squamosa
Sphaerophorin white Sphaerophorus spp.
*Lobaric acid greenish-white Stereocaulon spp.
Divaricatic acid white 4nzia colpodes
Evernic acid white Evernia nzesornorpha
*Psoromic acid greenish-white Rhizocarpon geographictim
Perlatolic acid white Cladonia decorticata
Barbatic acid greenish-white Cladonia robbinsii
measured for a few compounds available in quantities sufficient for
analysis on a Bunsen-Kirchhoff spectroscope: alectoronic acid, 4800-
5000 A; lobaric acid, 5100-5400; and evernic acid, 5500-6200. The
spectrum appeared as a very diffuse white band.
Another series of six compounds fluoresced weakly in the pure
state and in the lichen thalli at not more than 20 cm. from the lamp.
iContribution No. 75 from the Herbarium of West Virginia University. Sup-
ported in part by a grant from the Research Fund, University of Wichita, Kansas.

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 31

These include lecanoric, olivetoric, baeomycic, norstictic, obtusatic,

and physodic acids, which emit white to pale orange-white light.
A final group of depsides and depsidones did not fluoresce signifi-
cantly under the experimental conditions: atronorine, chloratronorine,
diploicin, and pannarin, and a-collatolic, diploschistesic, fumarproce-
traric, gyrophoric, homosekikaic, physodalic, protocetraric, salacinic,
stictic, thamnolic, and variolaric acids.
There is a definite correlation between intensity of fluorescence
and substituents on the acidic phenyl ring. All six intensely fluorescent
depsides have a 2-hydroxy, 4-methoxy configuration. The methoxyl
radical confers strong fluorochromic properties on the depside nucleus,
because 4-hydroxy homologues are only weakly fluorescent, as in the
case of evernic acid (4-methoxy lecanoric acid) and lecanoric acid.
This observation is in agreement with Wachmeister's results (1952)
where 4-methoxy derivatives of depsides are reported to be more
intensely fluorescent than the 4-hydroxy derivatives. Among the
depsidones there are no comparable correlations between fluorescence
and chemical structure.
In conclusion, white light fluorescence in lichens can apparently
be traced to the presence of certain depsides and depsidones, and it is
possible therefore to predict this property for any lichen of known
chemical constitution. Unfortunately at least nine widely distributed
substances emit indistinguishable white light, and the ultraviolet lamp
cannot help a taxonomist separate them. In addition, intensity of
fluorescence varies from zero to very intense so that it may often be
difficult to decide whether a lichen thallus is definitely fluorescent or
not in the absence of a standard light source for comparison.
Fluorescence analysis still has some restricted use in taxonomic
problems where the components of a few lichen species under study
are well known, one being fluorescent, the other not. For example
there are several yellow Parmneliaewhich are very similar in external
appearance. One group (P. centrifuga, P. separata) contains the
fluorescent depsidone alectoronic acid, while the other group (P. con-
spersa-stenophyllha)contains negatively fluorescent betaorcinol depsid-
ones. Individual specimens can be quickly sorted into two groups
without further complicated microchemical tests by simply exposing
them under an ultraviolet lamp. Similar examples may be found in
Stereocaulon and Cetraria. As a rule, however, microchemical crystal
study and chromatography offer the only precise means to the taxon-
omist for identifying the lichen substances.

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 32

LITERATURE CITED
As;ahina, Y. 1954. Chemis,try of lichen substances. Tokyo.
Chernohorsky, Z. 19150. Fluorescence of lichens in ultra-violet light. The genus
Parmelia. Stud. Bot. Cechoslovaca 11: 1-3.
Ozenda, P. 1951. Fluorescence des lichens en lumiere de Wood. Compt. Rend.
233: 194-195.
Wachtmeister, C.. A. 1952. Studies on the chemistry of lichens. I. Separation of
depside coimponents by paper chromatography. Acta Chim. Scand. 6: 818-825.
1955. Flechtensaure, in Linskens, H. F., Papier-chromatographie in der
Botanik. pp. 99-104. Berlin.
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY, MORGANTOWN

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