Numerical taxonomic studies were carried out in order to elucidate the taxonomic relationship among 17 species belonging to Paris. Eighteen characters including 10 morphological, 4 pollen morphological, 2 cytotalonomical and 2 habitat characters were used for the analysis. On basis of UPGMA clustering analysis, two subgenus and seven groups were recognized. The classification of the two subgenus was different from the opinion of subgenus Daiswa and subgenus Paris by Li Heng. The classification of sect. Dunnianae, sect. Axiparis and sect. Paris was correspondence with the classification of Li Heng. But sect. Fargesianae, sect. Marmoratae and sect. Thibeticae which were established based on the especially characters by Li Heng were put into cluster 2, cluster 3 and cluster 4.
Magnoliopsida ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; Phylogeny

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents from the rhizome of Paris axialis.

METHODThe compounds were isolated by column chromatography with silica gel and purified by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and preparative RP-HPLC. The structures were identified by means of spectroscopic methods.

RESULTFourteen compounds were isolated from the EtOAc extract and the n-BuOH extract of P. axialis. Their structures were identified as daucosterol (1), stigmasterol-3-O-beta-D-glycopyranoside (2), beta-ecdysterone (3), pennogenin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl (1 --> 4) -[alpha-L -rhamnopyranosyl (1 --> 2)] -beta-D-glycopyranoside (4), diosgenin-3-O-alpha-L- rhamnopy-ranosyl (1 --> 4) -alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1 --> 4) [alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1 --> 2)] -beta-D-glycopyranoside (5), kaempferol (6), rutin (7), myrincitrin (8), 4, 2', 4'-trihydroxychalcone (9), isorhamnetin-3-O-beta-D- glycopyranoside (10), isorhamnetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1 --> 2) -beta-D-glycopyranoside (11), isorhamnetin-3-O-beta-D-glucpyranosyl (1 --> 6) -beta-D-glycopyranoside (12), kayaflavone (13), amentoflavone (14).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-3 and 6-14 are isolated from P. axialis for the first time; and compounds 7-10, 13, 14 are isolated from the genus Paris for the first time.

Flavones ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Liliaceae ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Steroids ; analysis ; isolation & purification