Abstract
M.Sc. (Botany)
There is a huge gap in the information of the chemistry of African Apiaceae. Little is known about the chemosystematic pattern at the tribal, generic and species level. In contrast, recent anatomical and molecular studies have given new insights into relationships and a new classification system has been proposed. This molecular phylogeny gives the opportunity to compare the chemical patterns against the anatomical and molecular results. In this study, nine genera and a representative number of species were evaluated to identify their chemical constituents. There was also further comparison between species of the same genus and within tribes to ascertain similarities between sister groups. A thorough literature review of the chemistry of African Apiaceae was done to provide a first overall assessment of the potential for chemosystematics studies in the African members of the family, which has a centre of diversity in southern Africa.
Highlights of the discoveries made during this study include the identification of limonene as main volatile compound in the roots of Cynorhiza typica. The dried roots of the plant is an important traditional Khoi-San source of yeast, used in preparing traditional mead (honey beer, known as karri). The presence of limonene would have added a citrus (orange or lemon) flavour to the mead. Likewise, the chemical basis for the anise smell and taste of the roots of Annesorhiza nuda (anise root, a traditional food item of the Cape Khoi and Dutch settlers) was also revealed for the first time by the identification of estragole (with trace amounts of anethole) in the roots. Of special...