3′,5′-di-C-β-glucopyranosylphloretin, a flavonoid characteristic of the genus Fortunella

Dihydrochalcone derivative, 3',5'-di-C-beta -glucopyranosylphloretin (1), is present in the genus Fortunella, (F. crassifolia, F. japonica, F. margarita, F. polyandra and F. hindsii). These species accumulate a large quantity of 1 in their fruits (peel, 6.5-15.2 mg/g in dry wt; juice sac, 1.5-10.5 mg/g) and in their leaves (21.3-60.2 mg/g). Twenty-seven Tanaka's Citrus species examined lack 1, but C, madurensis and C. halimii contain 1 in large quantities in their peels (25.1 and 33.6 mg/g) and juice sacs (4.1 and 4.2 mg/g). Poncirus species do not contain 1. For Fortunella-citrus hybrids, the Orangequat [C. unshiu x F. crassifolia], the Thomasville citrangequat [Fortunella sp. x (C, sinensis x Poncirus trifoliata)], and seven hybrid progenies [F. margarita x C. junos], contain large amounts of 1 in their peels (17.0-7.9 mg/g) and juice sacs (2.0-9.9 mg/g). These facts suggest that accumulation of 1 is a generic trait of the genus Fortunella and that the inheritance of the trait among the intergeneric hybrids is controlled by a dominant allele. Thus C, madurensis and C. halimii are thought to originate from natural hybrids between the genera Citrus and Fortunella. Phloridzin, which has the same aglycon as 1, was not detected in the citrus plants examined. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.