title: Unique proline-benzoquinone pigment from the colored nectar of "bird's Coca cola tree" functions in bird attractions.
abstract: The major pigment responsible for the dark brown nectar of the "bird's Coca cola tree", Leucosceptrum canum (Labiatae), was isolated and identified as a unique symmetric proline-quinone conjugate, 2,5-di-(N-(-)-prolyl)-para-benzoquinone (DPBQ). Behavioral experiments with both isolated and synthetic authentic samples indicated that DPBQ functions mainly as a color attractant to bird pollinators.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, PR China.
authors.forename: Shi-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Xue-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Shu-Xi
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gershenzon
authors.forename: Sheng-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D001717:Birds; D019686:Lamiaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000737:chemistry; D057048:Plant Nectar / Q000737:chemistry*; D054817:Pollination; D011392:Proline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: C576309:2,5-di-(N-prolyl)-para-benzoquinone; D016227:Benzoquinones; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D057048:Plant Nectar; D011392:Proline