Petal Flavonoids of White-Flowered Spring Ephemerals

Abstract
Petal flavonoids of 4 white-flowered species (Anemonella thalictroides, Jeffersonia diphylla, Podophyllum peltatum, Sanguinaria canadensis) of the woodland spring flora of eastern North America were characterized. A floral flavonoid syndrome of one to several kaempferol glycosides present in high concentration was observed in all 4 spp. A chromatographic survey of 16 other white-flowered spring-blooming species indicated that this floral flavonoid syndrome is widespread in the spring flora. UV absorption by floral flavonoids may function in pollinator attraction, and convergent evolution for floral flavonoid complements possibly has occurred among these species.

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