Abstract
Extraction of fresh pollens of the titile plants, followed by repeated column chromatography (the adsorbent : lime, the developer : 1,8 or 10% acetone in n-hexane) gave 12 carotenoid pigments, namely 2 cis-mutatoxanthin esters (mainly as palmitate), 3 cis-zeaxanthin esters, 4 cis-antheraxanthin esters, a cis-antheraxanthin, and 2 unidentified carotenoids. Main constituents, cis-antheraxanthin ester-IV and -I, both have peripheral monocis structures of which 9 (or 9') - and 9' (or 9)-monocis configurations are most probable respectively. Cis-antheraxanthin esters were contained to the amount of 91.7-94 % of the total carotenoids, whereas all-trans compounds of the above carotenoids, α-, β-carotene, violaxanthin, capsanthin, and capsorubin were not found. Spectral data and estimated relative amounts of individual carotenoids were tabulated.
