CHEMOTAXONOMISCHE UNTERSUCHUNGEN MIT DRYOPTERIS–ARTEN

Summary

Individual Plants belonging to Dryopteris abbreviata (DC.) Newm., Dryopteris borreri Newm. and Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) Schott sensu stricto, the three main taxa of the Dryopteris filix-mas aggregate in Europe, were investigated for the phloroglucin derivatives present in rhizomes and leaf stalk bases. The results presented in table 1 indicate that the tetraploid species D. filix-mas sensu stricto differs from the other two species by producing an appreciable amount of aspidinol. Some other minor chemical differences seem to exist between the three taxa mentioned. One of these concerns flavaspidic acid which may be a mixture of homologous compounds like filixic acid as described by Penttilä and Sundman. Some hybride plants were investigated too (Dryopteris × tavelii Rothm. and Dryopteris × remota sensu lato) (table 1) and the results discussed.

Flavaspidic acid is probably the phloroglucinol derivative of the D. filix-mas complex therapeutically most active; as it occurs as a main phenolic compound in all three microspecies and in Dryopteris × tavelii it may be presumed that all these taxa are evenly effective as taenifuges. To be sure about this it is necessary to analyse further an unknown substance, called Z, which is present in comparatively larger amounts in D. abbreviata and D. borreri than in D. filix-mas.