New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts

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A comparative phytochemical profile of the Gunneraceae

MICHAEL F.DOYLE
RON SCOGIN

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
1500 N. College Ave
Claremont, California 91711, U.S.A.

Abstract Two species representative of the G\mnetacea.s(GunneradensifloraandG.manicata) were examined for the presence of alkaloids, anthocyanins, caffeic acid, cyanogenic glucosides, ellagic acid, ellagitannins, iridoids, proantho- cyanidins, quercetin, saponins, and sedoheptulose. Caffeic acid, ellagic acid, ellagitannins, and quercetin were detected, whereas alkaloids, iridoids, proanthocyanidins, saponins, and sedoheptulose were lacking. Two anthocyanins (pelargonidin 3,5- diglucoside and an undetermined cyanidin glycoside) were detected only in G. densiflora. A comparative biochemical profile and a phytochemical similarity index of the Gunneraceae and six putatively related families (Haloragaceae, Saxifragaceae, Hippuridaceae, Onagraceae, Apiaceae, and Urticaceae) is provided. The Onagraceae was found to have the greatest phytochemical similarity (0.71), followed by Haloragaceae and Saxifragaceae (0.54), Apiaceae and Urticaceae (0.33), and Hippuridaceae (0.25). The affinity between the Gunneraceae and Onagraceae suggested by phytochemical characters is not supported by embryological and paly nological evidence. Therefore, this relationship should be considered tenuous until additional comparative data are available.

Keywords Gunnera; Gunnera densiflora; Gunnera manicata; Gunneraceae; chemo- systematics; phylogeny; pelargonidin 3,5- diglucoside herbs. Confined primarily to superhumid tropical, subtropical, or warm-temperate environments of the southern hemisphere, members of the Gunneraceae occur naturally in New Zealand, Tasmania, Indonesia, the Philippine Islands .South and Central America, the Juan Fernandez Islands, south and central Africa, Madagascar, and extend northward into Mexico and Hawaii. The genus Gunnera L. has traditionally been considered an anomalous member of the Haloragaceae. Recent studies emphasising the morphological, anatomical, embryological, and palynological differences between Gunnera and putatively related Haloragalean taxa support the familial status of the Gunneraceae (Dahlgren 1975). The Gunneraceae is a phylogenetically problematic family which has been little studied phytochemically. The foliar phenolic constituents of one South American species, Gunnera manicata Linden, have recently been described by Doyle & Scogin (1988). In order to permit a comparative chemosy stematic examination of the Gunneraceae, the present study was undertaken to examine the presence/absence data on various compounds or classes of compounds. Two taxa representative of the widest range of morphological variation and evolutionary diversity within the family were selected for comparison. Gunnera manicata was chosen as a representative member of the giant-leaved, neotropical/Pacific island distributed subgenus Panke (Mol.) Schlindler, whereas G. densiflora Hook, was selected as a representative member of the small-leaved, New Zealand/Tasmanian distributed subgenus Milligania (Hook.) Schlindler. The two subgenera Milligania and Panke encompass approximately 80% of the species diversity within the genus, and are the most primitive and advanced subgenera, respectively (Palkovic 1974).

Received 22 March 1988; accepted 25 May 1988
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 1988, Vol. 26: 493-496
0028-825X/88/2604-0493$2.50/0 © Crown copyright 1988

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