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Journal of Wood Science

Official Journal of the Japan Wood Research Society

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Lignin characteristics of peculiar vascular plants

Journal of Wood Science volume 53, pages 520–523 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Trochodendron aralioides Sieb. et Zucc. and Chloranthus glaber (Thunb.) Makino [Sarcandra globra (Thunb.) Nakai] belong to primitive angiosperms, and are characterized by the absence of vessels. Ephedra sinica Stapf, which is classified in the gymnosperms, contains vessel elements and fiber together with tracheids. Podocarpus macrophyllus (Thunb. Ex Murray) D. Don var. macrophyllus is reported to give a weak positive Mäule test, although it is classified as a gymnosperm. Podocarpus macrophyllus gave only vanillin on alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation, while E. sinica, T. aralioides, and C. glaber gave both vanillin and syringaldehyde. The molar ratio of syringyl to guaiacyl nuclei (S/V ratio) of C. glaber was significantly low (S/V = 0.08) in comparison with the value for T. aralioides (S/V = 1.56). The erythro form is the predominant diasteromeric form of β-O-4 intermonomer linkages of T. aralioides and E. sinica [molar ratio of erythro to threo forms (E/T ratio): 1.93 and 1.67, respectively]; however, P. macrophyllus and C. glaber lignins, of which S/V ratios were 0 and 0.08, gave approximately equal amounts of erythro and threo forms (E/T ratio: 1.01 and 1.14). Results from 1H NMR spectroscopy agree well with S/V ratios of alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation and E/T ratios of ozonation products. In conclusion differences in guaiacyl lignin and guaiacyl-syringyl lignin do not exactly reflect taxonomical differences, as reported in previous articles. It was found that guaiacyl-syringyl lignin is not necessarily linked to the presence of vessels.

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Author notes

  1. Kenji Iiyama

    Present address: Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, 1-1 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, 305-8686, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering, Zhejiang Forestry University, Zhejiang, 311300, China

    Zhenfu Jin

  2. Institute of Ecology, Zhejiang Forestry Academy, Zhejiang, 310023, China

    Shunliu Shao

  3. Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan

    Kyoko S. Katsumata

  4. Asian Natural Environmental Science Center, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan

    Kenji Iiyama

Authors
  1. Zhenfu Jin
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  2. Shunliu Shao
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  3. Kyoko S. Katsumata
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  4. Kenji Iiyama
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Correspondence to Kenji Iiyama.

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Jin, Z., Shao, S., Katsumata, K.S. et al. Lignin characteristics of peculiar vascular plants. J Wood Sci 53, 520–523 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10086-007-0891-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10086-007-0891-y

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