Studies on the flower colours in Amaryllidaceae : I. On the anthocyanin constitution of Nerime hybrida

The anthocyanis of Nerine hybrida, the constituent member of Amaryllidaceae, were identified by paper chromatograpic method. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1. Eight anthocyanins which derived from three kinds of anthocyanidin combined with four patterns of glycosilation, were identified. They were pelargonidin-3-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-glucosylglucoside, pelargonidin-3-xylosylglucoside, pelargonidin-3.5-diglucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucosylglucoside, cyanidin-3.5-diglucoside and peonidin-3.5-diglucoside. 2. From the standpoint of chemical taxonomy, Nerine was significantly different from other members of Amaryllidaceae, with the presence of genetic mechanisms for methylation and 5-glycosilation and with the co-occurrence of fairly large numbers of anthocyanins in each garden form. 3. One of the prominent features of Amaryllidaceae is relatively easy to get the intergeneric hybrid as compared with other families. Since Nerine had the various kinds of anthocyanins, it would play important role in future breeding as the appropriate source of luxuriant flower colours to these intergeneric hybrids.