Phenolics as Chemosystematic Markers in and for the Genus Crepis (Asteraceae, Cichorieae)

In contrast to the huge variety of sesquiterpene lactones reported, only a limited number of flavonoids and phenolic acids are known from the genus Crepis. Compounds detected in the course of this investigation encompass flavonoids luteolin, luteolin 7-O-glucoside, luteolin 7-O-gentiobioside, luteolin 7-O-glucuronide, and luteolin 4’-O-glucoside and caffeic acid derivatives chlorogenic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, caffeoyltartaric acid, and cichoric acid. The spectrum of compounds found in the flowering heads of plants of the genus Crepis are useful chemosystematic markers both to differentiate between species and to characterize the genus and help delimiting it from morphologically similar genera within the Cichorieae tribe of the Asteraceae family.