Chemical plant Taxonomy

Description

Chemical Plant Taxonomy focuses on the classification of plants based on their chemical composition.
Composed of contributions of authors, the text first considers the methods of plant taxonomy. Folk taxonomy; Linnaean and post-Linnaean taxonomy; Darwin and ""Evolutionary Taxonomy""; and the development of taxonomic practice are considered. The book continues with discussions on the theoretical and practical aspects of the ""species"" concepts and an outline of the history of chemical taxonomy. The selection also looks at the qualities of chemotaxonomy, the usefulness of chemistry in plant taxonomy, biosynthetic pathways, and the factors affecting the production of secondary plant products. The text discusses the distribution of alkanes. The isolation and characterization of alkanes; taxonomic applications of alkanes; biogenesis of alkanes; and fossil alkanes are discussed. The selection highlights the chemical taxonomy of acetylenic compounds, the distribution of fatty acids in plant lipids, distribution of aliphatic polyols, cyclitols, plant glycosides, and alkaloids.
The text is a good source of information for readers wanting to study the taxonomy of chemical plants.

Front Cover 2
Chemical Plant Taxonomy 5
Copyright Page 6
List of Contributors 7
Preface 9
Table of Contents 11
CHAPTER 1. Methods of Classical Plant Taxonomy 13
- I. Introduction 13
- II. Folk Taxonomy 13
- III. Linnaean and Post-Linnaean Taxonomy 16
- IV. Darwin and "Evolutionary Taxonomy" 18
- V. Relationship 19
- VI. The Practice of Taxonomy 20
- VII. Developments in Taxonomic Practice 22
- References 26

Front Cover 2
Chemical Plant Taxonomy 5
Copyright Page 6
List of Contributors 7
Preface 9
Table of Contents 11
CHAPTER 1. Methods of Classical Plant Taxonomy 13
- I. Introduction 13
- II. Folk Taxonomy 13
- III. Linnaean and Post-Linnaean Taxonomy 16
- IV. Darwin and "Evolutionary Taxonomy" 18
- V. Relationship 19
- VI. The Practice of Taxonomy 20
- VII. Developments in Taxonomic Practice 22
- References 26
- IX. "Omega-taxonomy" 26
CHAPTER 2. Species Concepts: Theoretical and Practical Aspects 29
- I. Introduction: The Word "Species" 29
- II. The Taxonomic Species and the Classificatory Process 30
- III. The Taxonomic Species Category in Application 34
- IV. Alternatives to Formal Taxonomy 45
- V. Species Concepts and "Chemical Taxonomy" 47
- References 51
CHAPTER 3. History of Chemical Taxonomy 53
- I. Introduction 53
- II. The Beginnings 54
- III. The Modern Pioneers 58
- IV. The Use of Certain Chemical Criteria in Plant Taxonomy 63
- V. The Use of Certain Techniques in Plant Taxonomy 76
- VI. Some Phytochemical Studies at the Genus Level 82
- VII. The Present 90
- VIII. The Future 93
- References 93
CHAPTER 4. Some Aspects of Chemotaxonomy 101
- I. Introduction 101
- II. General Principles of Chemotaxonomy 102
- III. Applications of Chemotaxonomy 108
- IV. Integrated Investigations of Groups of Plants 118
- V. Conclusions 133
- References 135
CHAPTER 5. Usefulness of Chemistry in Plant Taxonomy as Illustrated by the Flavonoid Constituents 139
- I. Introduction 139
- II. Importance of Flavonoid Compounds 140
- III. Transformations of Flavonoids 144
- IV. Biosynthetically Related Compounds 146
- V. Conclusions 149
- References 151
CHAPTER 6. Biosynthetic Pathways 153
- I. General Observations on Biosynthetic Sequences 153
- II. Phenylpropane Derivatives 155
- III. Flavonoid Pigments and Related Compounds 160
- IV. Terpenes 166
- V. Alkaloids 174
- VI. Conclusions 177
- References 177
CHAPTER 7. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors Affecting the Production of Secondary Plant Products 179
- I. Introduction 179
- II. Problems of Analysis and Interpretation 180
- III. Intrinsic Factors 181
- III. Extrinsic Factors 187
- References 196
CHAPTER 8. The Distribution of Alkanes 199
- I. Introduction 199
- II. Historical 200
- ΙII. Plant Waxes 201
- IV. The Isolation and Characterization of Alkanes 204
- V. Taxonomic Applications of Alkanes 207
- VI. The Biogenesis of Alkanes 217
- VII. Fossil Alkanes 224
- VIII. Conclusions 226
- References 227
CHAPTER 9. Chemical Taxonomy of Acetylenic Compounds 231
- I. Introduction 231
- II. Acetylenic Fatty Acids 232
- III. Acetylenic Compounds from Micro-organisms 235
- IV. Acetylenic Compounds from Dicotyledons 240
- References 262
CHAPTER 10. The Distribution of Fatty Acids in Plant Lipids 265
- I. Introduction 265
- II. Lipids of Aquatic Plants 267
- III. Lipids of Terrestrial Plants 269
- IV. General Observations on the Occurrence of Fatty Acids in Plant Lipids 306
- References 310
- Appendix A: I. Fatty acid composition of oils found in spores of fungi 316
  - II. Fatty acid composition of seed oils 316
- Appendix Β: Families not included in Hilditch's ( 1 9 5 6 ) Classification 322
CHAPTER 11. Distribution of Aliphatic Polyols and Cyclitols 325
- I. Introduction 325
- II. Isolation and Identification of Polyols 326
- III. Classification of Natural Polyols 327
- IV. Distribution of Aliphatic Polyols 328
- V. Distribution of Cyclitols 333
- VI. Conclusions 343
- References 345
CHAPTER 12. The Distribution of Plant Glycosides 349
- I. Introduction 349
- II. Localization and Distribution of Glycosides 352
- III. Types of Sugar Found in Glycosides 353
- IV. Types of Aglycone 354
- References 369
- V. Discussion 369
CHAPTER 13. Distribution of Anthocyanins in Higher Plants 371
- I. Introduction 371
- II. Broad Distribution of Anthocyanins 372
- III. Systematic Distribution of Anthocyanina 374
- IV. Hydroxylation Patterns of Anthocyanins 375
- V. Methylation Patterns of Anthocyanins 388
- VI. Glycosidic Patterns of Anthocyanins 391
- VII. Acylated Anthocyanins 394
- VIII. Anthocyanins and Flower Colour 396
- IX. Conclusions 397
- References 398
CHAPTER 14. The Taxonomic Significance of Alkaloids 401
- I. Introduction 401
- II. Criteria for Using Alkaloids in Taxonomy 402
- III. The Use of Alkaloids in Taxonomy 420
- IV. Conclusions 436
- References 437
CHAPTER 15. The Distribution of Alkaloids in the Rutaceae 441
- I. Introduction 441
- II. Alkaloids in the Rutaceae 445
- III. Taxonomic Implications 458
- IV. Conclusions 463
- References 463
CHAPTER 16. The Distribution of Sulphur Compounds 465
- I. Introduction 465
- II. Thiols, Sulphides and Disulphides 467
- III. Non-protein Sulphur Amino Acids of Higher Plants 471
- IV. Isothiocyanate-producing Glucosides 474
- References 482
Appendix 487
Author Index 493
Plant Genera and Species Index 513
Chemical Compounds Index 537

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