Narcissus and Daffodil

Sources of galanthamine 245
Galanthus elwesii, G. nivalis var. gracilis, G. woronowii, Haemanthus katherinas, Hippeastrum
hybridum ‘Salmon Joy’, H. rutilum, Hymenocallis amancaes, H. calathina,
H. rotata (lacera), Ismene (Hymenocallis) hybridum ‘Sulphur Queen’, Leucojum aestivum,
L. vernum, Lycoris albiflora, L. aurea, L. incarnata, L. radiata, Narcissus × gracillis,
N. × incomparabilis, N. lobularis, N. ‘odorus rugulosus’, hybrids derived from N. jonquilla,
N. poeticus, N. pseudonarcissus, N. tazetta and N. triandrus, Nerine flexuosa,
N. undulata, Pancratium illyricum, Sternbergia fischeriana, Ungernia victoris, Vallota
purpurea, Zephyranthes andersonii (andersoniana) and Z. rosea (Abdusamatov et al.,
1969; Boit, 1961; Cherkasov, 1976, 1977; Kadyrov et al., 1980; Medvedeva et al.,
1994; Popova, 1982; Ruan, 1988). In Pancratium trianthum and Hymenocallis littoralis
from the Upper Volta and Ivory Coast, lycorine was the predominant alkaloid
(Frederik, 1982). Interconversion of ungiminorine and lycorine was found in
Ungernia severtsovii. Towards the end of the growing period, the level of lycorine in
roots and bulbs increased, while that of ungiminorine decreased. At the time of
leaf development this was reversed (Smirnova et al., 1965).
SEARCHING FOR NOVEL SOURCES OF GALANTHAMINE
Amaryllidaceae in the flora of the Russian Federation
and adjoining regions
Amaryllidaceae are relict species, believed to have been widespread in periods of
tropical climate and retreating in glacial periods. Representatives of the Amaryllidaceae
growing in temperate climates are thought to be the most advanced species.
Some Amaryllidaceae occur in European Russia and the adjacent countries, and
they are found in the Central Asia region (Artyushenko, 1970). Galanthus and
Leucojum are found throughout Russia and the adjoining countries (Khokhryakov,
1966), and are traditionally grown in gardens and greenhouses.
The Amaryllidaceae family is represented in the flora of the Russian Federation
and adjoining regions by seven genera: Leucojum L., Ixiolirion Herb., Narcissus L.,
Pancratium L., Galanthus L., Ungernia Bge. and Sternbergia Waldst. and Kit. (Artyushenko,
1965; Kalashnikov, 1970; Komarov et al., 1935).
Leucojum has ten species found from Ireland and North Africa to the Crimea
and Caucasus, including two species in southern Ukraine, the Transcaucasian
region and northern Caucasus. Ixiolirion has five species growing widely in Asia,
while two of them are found in the Caucasus, Central Asia and eastern Siberia.
Narcissus includes 25 to 30 species distributed in Europe and Central Asia. Pancratium
contains 14 species, one of them growing in the region of the Black Sea coast.
Galanthus species are found in southern and central Europe and Asia Minor. The
majority of the species, 16 among a total of 25 to 27, grow widely in the Caucasus.
Ungernia species (six populations) are found in central Asia (Artyushenko, 1970;
Vvedensky, 1935, 1963; Korotkova and Khamidkhodzhaev, 1976). Sternbergia
comprises three or four species distributed in the Black Sea region, the eastern
Caucasus and Turkmenistan.
Amaryllid species are perennial herbs, and their alkaloids occur mainly in the
storage organs. In most Amaryllidaceae the above-ground parts of the radical
leaves occur in files, the leaf bases forming the bulbs. Species of Amaryllidaceae