Anthocyanins in Camellia polyodonta How, C. semiserrata Chi and C. chekiangoleosa Hu, and Their Phylogenetic Positions in Section Camellia Based on the Pigmentation

Abstract

This paper deals with the phylogenies of section Camellia of Chinese origin using a floweranthocyanin as a chemical marker.
Wild forms of camellias, C. semiserrata Chi and C. chekiangoleosa Hu, were characterized by the presence of pigments with lower Rf-values on two-dimensional thin layer chromatograms (TLC-plate). Of these pigments, both species contained exclusively or mainly spot 1, a mixture of cyanidin-3-glucoside and 3-galactoside. In addition, the latter C. chekiangoleosa contained a relatively large amount of cyanidin-3-galactoside within spot 1, which is associated with C. japonica subsp. rusticana (Honda) Kitamura, and the former C. semiserrata contained extremely small amount of this pigment.
On the other hand, C. polyodonta How contained some individuals with the saluenensisspecific higher Rf pigments together with main lower Rf pigments.
From the standpoints of these pigmentations, the manner of pigment-inheritance previously reported and the geographic distribution of the species in and around China, section Camellia may be arranged in the following two phylogenetic sequences; 1) from C. saluenensis Stapf ex Bean or its allied species to C. polyodonta and 2) from C. polyodonta or its primitive forms through C. semiserrata and/or C. chekiangoleosa to the groups of C. japonica Linn.
Consequently, as the species extended north-eastwards from the so-called centre of origin, the anthocyanins became chemically simpler, since the genes favouring their production are recessive to those favouring the production of more complex anthocyanins.