New Flavonol Glycosides from the Leaves and Flowers of Primula sieboidii

Three flavonol glycosides were isolated from the leaves of Primula sieboldii. They were identified as quercetin 3- O-β-[xylopyranosyl-(1→2)- β-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)- β-glucopyranoside] (1), kaempferol 3- O- β-[glucopyranosyl-(1→2)- β-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)- β-glucopyranoside] (2) and kaempferol 3- O- β-[xylopyranosyl-(1→2)- β-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)- β-glucopyranoside] (3). Their chemical structures were determined by UV, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, LC-MS and acid hydrolysis. Compounds 1 and 3 are found in nature for the first time. They were also detected in the flowers, together with two anthocyanins, malvidin 3,5-di- O-glucoside and a minor petunidin dihexoside.

Reconsideration for conservation units of wild Primula sieboldii in Japan based on adaptive diversity and molecular genetic diversity

SummaryPrimula sieboldii E. Morren is a perennial clonal herb that is widely distributed in Japan, but in danger of extinction in the wild. In a previous study, we revealed the genetic diversity of the species using chloroplast and nuclear DNA and used this information to define conservation units. However, we lacked information on adaptive genetic diversity, which is important for long-term survival and, thus, for the definition of conservation units. In order to identify adaptive traits that showed adaptive differentiation among populations, we studied the genetic variation in six quantitative traits within and among populations for 3 years in a common garden using 110 genets from five natural populations from three regions of Japan. The number of days to bud initiation was adaptive quantitative trait for which the degree of genetic differentiation among populations (QST) was considerably larger than that in eight microsatellite markers (FST). The relationship between this trait and environmental factors revealed that the number of days to bud initiation was negatively correlated, with the mean temperature during the growing period at each habitat. This suggests that adaptive differentiation in the delay before bud initiation was caused by selective pressure resulting from temperature differences among habitats. Our results suggest that based on adaptive diversity and neutral genetic diversity, the Saitama population represents a new conservation unit.