Cyanogenic polymorphism in Eucalyptus polyanthemos Schauer subsp vestita L. Johnson and K. Hill (Myrtaceae)

Abstract

Plant cyanogenesis, the release of cyanide from endogenous cyanide-containing compounds, is an effective herbivore deterrent. This paper characterizes cyanogenesis in the Australian tree Eucalyptus polyanthemos Schauer subsp. vestita L. Johnson and K. Hill for the first time. The cyanogenic glucoside prunasin ((R)-mandelonitrile β-D-glucoside) was determined to be the only cyanogenic compound in E. polyanthemos foliage. Two natural populations of E. polyanthemos showed quantitative variation in foliar prunasin concentration, varying from zero (i.e. acyanogenic) to 2.07 mg CN g-1 dry weight in one population and from 0.17 to 1.98 mg CN g-1 dry weight in the other. No significant difference wa..