FOLIAGE DITERPENES OF DACRYDIUM INTERMEDIUM: IDENTIFICATION, VARIATION AND BIOSYNTHESIS

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0031-9422(85)80023-6

The major diterpenes in the foliage of Dacrydium intermedium have been identified as rimuene, ent-rosadiene, ent-beyerene, phyllocladene, ent-kaurene, sclarene and ent-sclarene. ent-Rosadiene and ent-sclarene have not been reported previously from natural sources.Considerable tree-to-tree variations are encountered and genetic control is proposed.Biosynthetic mechanism are put forward to explain the presence of diterpenes of both enantiomeric series.A lack of mono- and sesquiterpenes in both D. intermedium and D. fonkii, which ties in with Quinn's proposed revision of the Dacrydium genus, is also noted.Key Word Index - Dacrydium intermedium; D. fonkii; Podocarpaceae; infraspecific variation; biosynthesis; diterpenes; ent-rosadiene; ent-sclarene; co-occurrence of enantiomers; biochemical systematics; Lepidothamnus.