Abstract:
WaterIily contains huge diversities among aqueous flowering plants, providing an immense extent
of colourful flowers. In the present study, anthocyanins in different floral parts from 4 species of
waterlily, Nymphaea 'Red Flare' (deep red petal); N. 'King of Siam' (violet petal); N. capensis var.
zanzibariensis pink and N. capensis var. zanzibariensis blue were characterised in terms of
quantities, absorbant patterns, and anthocyanin types. The absorbance of most anthocyanin extracts
derived from various parts of waterlily revealed the typical pattern when spectrophotometrically
scanned from 320 to 700 nm after equilibrium in pH 1.0 and 4.5 buffers. Although the absorbance
of anthocyanins extracted from petals and sepals of N. 'King of Siam' and N. capensis var.
zanzibariensis blue was significantly reduced after incubation in pH 4.5 buffer, the Lambda max; still
remained and was shifted out from the normal wavelength (called bathochromic effect) and an
additional Lambda max; was found. N. 'Red Flare' accommodated anthocyanins in high levels in each floral
part, compared to others. Apart from N. 'Red Flare' which were in the stamen, anthocyanins
contributed highest in the petals of all species. Petals from all 4 varieties distributed majorities of
cyanidin and delphinidin derivatives. Cyanidin derivatives accumulated mostly in N. 'Red Flare'
meanwhile delphinidin-derived anthocyanins were predominant in N. capensis var. zanzibariensis
pink. On the other hand, petals of N. capensis var. zanzibariensis blue and petals and leaves of
N. 'King of Siam' aggregated an unidentified compound absorbing at the Lambda max of anthocyanin as a
major compound (approximately 70%) which appeared higher polarlity than delphinidin.
Furthermore in term of floral distribution, N. 'Red Flare' consisted of cyanidin derivertives as the
major anthocyanins in the peduncles, sepals, stamen while delphinidin plays a big part in the leaves.