PLANT CHEMISTRY RELATED

TO TAXONOMY
JULIET I. VILLARUEL
M.A.ED. – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE
 CHEMOTAXONOMY
• A science which uses chemical
information as a character for taxonomic
purposes. (Plantsjournal.com)
• The systematic study of chemical
variation between plant taxa. (Jones &
Luchsinger, 1986)
• Chemical compound produced by plants
 CHEMOTAXONOMY
• Chemotaxonomists suggest that chemical
characteristics have a particularly high
taxonomic value because they are:
1. Stable
2. Unambiguous
3. Not easily unchangeable
 SECONDARY METABOLITE
FUNCTIONS
• It provides protection from herbivores and pathogens.
• They serve as attractants (smell, color, taste) for
pollinators and seed dispersing animals.
• They function as agents of plant-plant competition
and plant-microbe symbioses.
 MAJOR CLASSES OF CHEMICAL
EVIDENCE
• PHENOLICS
• TERPENOIDS
• SULPHUR CONTAINING COMPOUNDS
• NITROGEN CONTAINING COMPOUNDS
 PHENOLICS: PHENOLIC ACIDS
• Main polyphenols made by plants.
• Works primarily as antioxidants that prevent cell
damage due to free-radicals.
• Also anti-inflammatory when taken regularly.
• Phenolic acids are usually found in mangos,
berries, apples, citrus fruits, plums, cherries, kiwis
onions, tea, coffee, red wine, and flour made from
wheat, rice, corn or oats.
 PHENOLICS: FLAVONOIDS
• One of the most common phenolic compound of
leaves.
• Both monocots and dicots show structural
variability and chemical stability.
• Flavonoids are used to classify 80 species of plants
from the family ulmaceae (elm family).
• Other families classified by the presence of
flavonoids:
• Leguminosae (bean family)
• Labiatae (mint family)
• Orchidaceae (orchid family)
 TERPENES

• Largely found as constituents of essential oils.

• Mostly hydrocarbon compounds constructed from
five carbon isoprene.
• Species that is classified by presence of terpenes:
• Species of salvia
SULPHUR CONTAINING COMPOUNDS
 NITROGEN CONTAINING COMPOUNDS:
ALKALOIDS
• These are compounds, containing heterocyclic nitrogen,
basic character and complex molecular structure.
• Such compounds are restricted to plant kingdom.
• Occurrence and distribution higher plants particularly in
the dicotyledons, abundance in the angiosperms families
apocynaceae, papaveraceae, ranculaceae, rubiaceae,
rutaceae, solanaceae, but less frequent in lower plants
and fungi.
 IMPORTANT ALKALOIDS INCLUDE
• Morphine
• Strychnine 
• Atropine
• Colchicine
• Ephedrine
• Quinine
• Nicotine.
• They are most common in herbaceous
plants, but some occur in woody plants,
chiefly tropical species.
CHEMISTRY IN RELATION TO TAXONOMY

• Spice plants were identified based on

their aromatic properties.
• Medicinal plants based on their curative
value.
• Plants are also used in pharmaceuticals,
flavors, perfumes, agrochemicals,
insecticides and raw materials for
industries.
CHEMISTRY IN RELATION TO TAXONOMY
Cronquist (1981) cited the following examples to indicate
the use of chemistry in solving taxonomic problems:
1. Caryphyllales produce betalains and not anthocyanins
2. Polygonales produce anthocyanins and not betalains.
3. Juglandales are aromatic plants while fagales are non-
aromatic.
4. Highly aromatic compounds are found in lamiaceae.
5. Alakaloids are very common in solanaceae.
6. Sapindaceae have plenty of tannins.