Taxonomic reconsideration of Disporum luzoniense (Liliaceae s.l.) using flavonoid characters

Phytochemical characters of the plants that have been treated as Disporum luzoniense (Merrill & Merritt 1910) or Disporopsis fuscopicta (Jessop 1979) in the Philippines were compared with those of Disporum kawakamii and Disporopsis fuscopicta in Taiwan. The present phytochemical study revealed that Disporum kawakamii had luteolin, apigenin and chrysoeriol as free state, while these flavonoids were not detected in the Philippine plant and Disporopsis fuscopicta from Taiwan. Moreover, flavone O-glycosides were isolated from Disporum kawakamii, while flavone C-glycoside was isolated from the Philippine plant and Disporopsis fuscopicta from Taiwan. In conclusion, the present study suggests that the Philippine plant is chemotaxonomically related to Disporopsis and this agrees with the taxonomic treatment of Jessop (1979).