title: Distribution and variability of n-alkanes in epicuticular waxes of sedum species from the central Balkan Peninsula: chemotaxonomic importance.
abstract: For the first time, the n-alkane distribution and variability of the epicuticular waxes within 22 Sedum taxa was reported with focus on the chemotaxonomy of native Sedum representatives from the central Balkan Peninsula, compared to their relations with four other species of the Crassulaceae family. By GC/MS and GC-FID identification and quantification, it was established that n-alkanes C27 , C29 , C31 , C33 , and C35 were the dominant constituents of the examined epicuticular wax samples. Applying multivariate statistical analyses including agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) and principal component analysis (PCA), the relation according to the n-alkane composition between the examined samples was established. It was shown that the n-alkane variability of the central Balkan Sedum species was considerable and that n-alkanes might not be very reliable taxonomic markers for these species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska Street No. 33, RS-18000 Niš
authors.forename: Snežana Č
authors.initials: SČ
authors.lastname: Jovanović
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska Street No. 33, RS-18000 Niš, (phone: +381-18533014; fax: +381-18533015).
authors.forename: Bojan K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Zlatković
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska Street No. 33, RS-18000 Niš. stgocaus@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Gordana S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Stojanović
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D063368:Balkan Peninsula; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D031963:Sedum / Q000737:chemistry*; D014885:Waxes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D014885:Waxes
keywords: Agglomeratic hierarchical clustering (ACH); Alkanes; Chemotaxonomy; Epicuticular wax; GC/MS Analysis; Multivariate statistical analysis; Principal-component analysis (PCA); Sedum species