Leuco-anthocyanins. 2. Systematic distribution of leuco-anthocyanins in leaves

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Abstract
Leaves were tested for leuco-anthocyanins by heating in 2N HCl and extracting with isoamyl alcohol, and also by the vanillin reaction. Results are reported for over 500 species. The presence or absence of leuco-anthocyanins in the leaves of vascular plants is related to their systematic position. They are generally present in ferns, but have not been found in Selaginellaceae, Psilotaceae, or Lycopodiaceae, nor in mosses. They are also generally present in gymnosperms, but are absent from Gnetum. Their occurrence in mono-cotyledons is common but scattered. In the leaves of dicoty-ledonous plants, the presence or absence of leuco-anthocyanins appears to be connected with a woody habit in the plant, or in the forms closely related to it. Hutchinson''s classification of the families of dicotyledons into a pre-dominantly woody group (Lignosae) and a predominantly herbaceous group (Herbaceae) provides a fairly accurate division into those containing members which have, and those whose members do not have, leuco-anthocyanins in their leaves. There are, however, many members of the Lignosae the leaves of which do not contain leuco-anthocyanins; these are usually either herbaceous in habit, or belong to families containing herbaceous members. A few families of Herbaceae, viz. Saxifragaceae (Hutchinson), Polygonaceae, Oxalidaceae, Limnanthaceae, Balsaminaceae, Aizoaceae and Plumbaginaceae, contain leuco-anthocyanins. In Crassulaceae substances reacting with vanillin occur, but these are not leuco-anthocyanins. The distribution of leuco-anthocyanins in the leaves of Papilionatae has been especially studied. They occur in plants of woody habit in Sophoreae, Dalbergieae, Phaseoleae and Galegeae, and in the herbaceous Hedysareae, but are absent from Pedalyrieae, Trifolieae, Loteae and Vicieae. This distribution follows closely the division of Papilionatae by Dormer (1946) on grounds of vegetative morphology. The systematic distribution of leuco-anthocyanins closely follows the recorded incidence of tannins in the botanical literature. They have, in fact, the properties of tannins and are probably the substances most commonly responsible for the reactions in plant tissues attributed to tannins.

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