Identification of eight coumarins occurring with psoralen, xanthotoxin, and bergapten on leaf surfaces

Surface extracts of the leaves of five species in the Umbelliferae,Citrus limon (Rutaceae), andPsoralea bituminosa (Leguminosae) were examined for the presence of coumarins, after a previous study had shown the presence of three psoralens. In the current investigation eight more coumarins were identified by mass spectrometric techniques: the simple coumarins scopoletin, scoparone, and osthol, the linear furanocoumarins imperatorin and phellopterin, the angular furanocoumarins angelicin and pimpinellin, and the pyranocoumarin seselin. Five of these occur inApium graveolens, and scopoletin, scoparone, and imperatorin were each found in three of the species examined. The co-occurrence of all these coumarins on the surface may be significant in communication between the plant and its environment.