Distribution and Variability of n-Alkanes in Epicuticular Waxes of Sedum Species from the Central Balkan Peninsula: Chemotaxonomic Importance

• Published in: Chemistry & biodiversity Vol. 12; no. 5; pp. 767 - 780
• Main Authors: Jovanovic, Snezana C, Zlatkovic, Bojan K, Stojanovic, Gordana S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Zürich WILEY-VCH Verlag 01-05-2015; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Agglomeratic hierarchical clustering (ACH); Alkanes; Alkanes - analysis; Alkanes - chemistry; Balkan Peninsula; Chemotaxonomy; Epicuticular wax; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; GC/MS Analysis; Molecular Structure; Multivariate statistical analysis; Principal Component Analysis; Principal-component analysis (PCA); Sedum - chemistry; Sedum species; Waxes - chemistry; Balkan Peninsula; Multivariate statistical analysis; Epicuticular wax; Chemotaxonomy; Agglomeratic hierarchical clustering (ACH); Alkanes; Sedum species; GC/MS Analysis; Principal-component analysis (PCA)
• ISSN: 1612-1872; 1612-1880
• DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.201400251

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.