Plant Inventory in the Solomon Islands, with Special Reference to Medicinal Plant Resources (4). Comparison of Dendrobium (Orchidaceae) Plant Components Using Multivariate Analysis

Abstract

Eight species of the genus Dendrobium were collected from the Solomon Islands. The morphological and compositional characteristics of their stems and leaves were studied and compared with two Japanese medicinal species of Dendrobium by using multivariate analysis of their components. As a result, we discovered that some types of Dendrobium plants from the Solomon Islands have a composition pattern comparable to that of the Japanese medicinal species, D. catenatum. Within the same species, distinct varieties with different compositions exist based on their locations in the Solomon Islands. Certain types also have different composition patterns depending on the stem and leaf sections. Our findings show that Dendrobium plants in the Solomon Islands have a distinct stem and leaf morphology and composition, while they also share similar compositional patterns with existing medicinal species. As a result, these plants are regarded as valuable medicinal resources with the potential to be used as novel crude drug ingredients.