title: Betaine distribution in the Malvaceae.
abstract: Aerial parts of 26 taxa, distributed in 18 genera and all 5 tribes of the Malvaceae have been examined for the presence of betaines. Glycinebetaine was obtained in high yield (0.5-4.6%, dry weight) from all the plants studied, except Abelmoschus moschatus, in extracts of which glycinebetaine was not detected. Trigonelline was recorded for 16 of the plants tested, but the yields were low (0.005-0.07%, dry weight). Roots and flowers of a few of the species were also examined for betaines. The same compounds as those found in the aerial parts were usually detected, but the glycinebetaine contents of the roots and flowers were considerably lower.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, St Michael's Building, White Swan Road, Hampshire PO1 2DT, Portsmouth, UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blunden
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gorham
mesh_terms: D001622:Betaine / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D019660:Malvaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D013045:Species Specificity; D016339:Spectrometry, Mass, Fast Atom Bombardment
chemical_list: D001622:Betaine