Non-protein amino acids of Bocoa (Leguminosae; Papilionoideae)

The non-protein amino acids of the legume genus Bocoa (Papilionoideae; Swartzieae) were surveyed by LC-MS and GC-MS using extracts of herbarium leaf fragments. Bocoa alterna (Benth.) R.S. Cowan, B. decipiens R.S. Cowan, B. limae R.S. Cowan, B. mollis (Benth.) R.S. Cowan and B. racemulosa (Huber) R.S. Cowan were found to contain 2,4-methanoproline, 2,4-methanoglutamic acid, cis-1-amino-3-hydroxymethyl-cyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid and delta-N-acetylornithine. The former three compounds have otherwise only been reported from Ateleia and Cyathostegia and, therefore, the results support the relationship with these genera found in recent phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequence data. In contrast, Bocoa viridiflora (Ducke) R.S. Cowan was found to contain trans-5-hydroxypipecolic acid and trans-4-cis-5-dihydroxypipecolic acid, while trans-4-hydroxypipecolic acid and an unidentified compound were the major non-protein amino acids in B. prouacensis Aublet. The non-protein amino acid chemistry of these two species was therefore more similar to a representative of Swartzia examined, S. macrosema Harms, which also contained mono- and dihydroxypipecolic acids. The monotypic Candolleodendron brachystachyum (DC.) R.S. Cowan, considered related to Bocoa, accumulated trans-5-hydroxypipecolic acid. LC-MS data on flavonoids obtained from four of the extracts revealed the presence of flavone C-glycosides in B. viridiflora and B. prouacensis but only flavonoid O-glycosides in B. alterna and B. mollis. The chemical division of Bocoa concurs with studies of other character types and recent molecular phylogenies.