Taxonomic

Evidences from
PHYTOCHEMIS
PreparedTRY
by: Lou Shaica Amor
Unabia
Chemistry in Relation to Taxonomy
Application of chemistry to
taxonomy is called
chemical taxonomy
or
Chemotaxonomy
 Chemical evidences are used in
determining the relationship among taxa
of different categories.
 Purpose of Chemotaxonomy
to develop such taxonomic characters which may
improve the existing systems of plant classification;

to develop the present-day knowledge of

phylogeny or evolutionary relationships of plants.
 A Brief History
Nehemiah Grew (1673)
William Withering (1785)
A. P. de Candolle (1804) Modern Phase of
Chemotaxonomy
Helen Abbott (1886)
Geshoff (1891)
James McNair (1917 &
1945)
 Major Classes of Chemical
Evidence

Flavonoi Betalains Alkaloids Terpenoids

ds
 Major Classes of Chemical
Evidence

Glucosinolates Lipids Amino acids Cyanogenic

compounds
Chemical Characters and their uses in
Taxonomy
Naik in (1984) divided these characters into three
categories:
directly visible characters (e.g. Starch grains,
raphides, silica, gypsum, etc.)
chemical test characters (e g. Phenolics, betalains,
oils, fats, waxes, alkaloids, etc.)
proteins
Jones and Luchsinger (1987) divided the natural
chemical plant products, on the basis of their
molecular weights:
Low molecular weight compounds < 1000
MW.
(e g. AAs, alkaloids, FA,
micromolecules
terpenoids, flavonoids, etc.)
High molecular weight compounds > 1000
(proteins, DNA, RNA,MW. complex
macromolecules
polysaccharides, etc.)
Flavonoids
most widely and effectively used compounds in
chemotaxonomy.
widespread distribution, chemical
complexity, relative physiological
stability, quick and easy
identification, great structural
variation.
 Phenolic glycosides consisting of two
Flavonoids benzene rings linked together through
heterocyclic pyrane ring.
Use of Flavonoids in
Chemotaxonomy
Species of Malusare classified on the basis of their
flavonoids.

Ellagic acid, a polyphenol is confined to woody

dicots and not found at all in monocots.

Presence of five leaf flavonoids (tricin, luteolin,

glycosylflavones, bisulphate complex and 5-glucoside) in
both Graminae and Palmae, link them together.
Betalains

Differ from flavonoids and other phenolic

compounds owing to the presence of
nitrogen in them.
nitrogenous anthocyanins
Betalains
yellow - red to violet -
betaxanthins betacyanins
 Opuntia ficus-indica
Gomphrena glombosa
Betalain
Portulaca oleracea
Beta vulgaris

Bougainvillea glabra
Mirabilis jalapa Echinopsis turbiflora Celosia argentea
 Alkaloids
Basic nitrogen-containing organic
compounds, usually with a
heterocyclic ring.
Alkaloids
Quinine Morphine

Papaver somniferum

sc h o l a r i s
Alstonia
Quinoline
Papaveraceae
Cinchona officinalis Fumariaceae
Solanaceae
Fabaceae
Rubiacea Liliaceae
e Rauwolfia serpe Orchidaceae
ntina
Terpenoids
A biogenic group of
diverse compounds with
mevulonic acid as their
precursor.
 Terpenoids
Cucurbitacins

Tanacetum
Apium graveolens
cinerariifolium
Sesquiterpene lactones
Citrullus lanatus
Momordica charantia

Pinus kesiya Pinus pinaster

Cucumis sativus Gum turpentine
Glucosinolates
isothiocyanate

nitrogen and sulphur confaining secondary

metabolites
Confined to the taxa of the mustard family
(Brassicaceae) and some related families of
Capparales.
Lipids and
Waxes
contain free alcohol, free fatty acids,
aldehydes, ketones, or hydrocarbons

Proportions of fatty acids in lipids are constant in

both genera and species in Palmae.
Lipids and
Waxes
Petroselinic acid - Apiaceae
Erucic acid - Brassicaceae
Chaulmoogric acid - Flaucortiaceae
Xymeneric acid - Santalaceae
Malvatic acid - Malvaceae members
Capric acid - Lauraceae & Lythraceae
 Amino acids
Building blocks of proteins
and are universally
distributed in plant tissues.
Azetidine-2-
carboxylic acid -
Canavanine - Lotoideae
Agavaceae,
Lathyrine - Lathyrus Liliaceae,
Acetyl ornithine - Fumarioideae Amaryllidaceae
Cyanogenic
compounds
Poisonous compounds such as hydrocyanic
acid, amygdalin, etc. release by some plants
after injury to thier cells.
Cyanophoric plants
Commonly cyanogenic
taxa
Araceae Asteridae
Juncacea Rosidae
Juncaginaceae
e Dilliniidae
Poaceae
Scheuchzeriaceae
Cronquist (1981) cited following examples to
indicate the use of chemistry in solving taxonomic
problems.
1. Caryophyllalles 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.
References
Sharma, O. P. (2017). Plant Taxonomy
(2nd ed.). Tata McGraw-Hill
Education.
Thank
You!