FLOWER FLAVONOID DISTRIBUTION IN ROSA-RUGOSA THUNB EX MURRAY AND INTERSPECIFIC ROSA HYBRIDS

Flower flavonoids of interspecific hybrids between Rosa rugosa Thunb. ex Murray (section Rosa) and Rosa species under sect. Synstylae and sect. Pimpinellifoliae were analyzed to study the mode of flavonoid transmission from parental species to progenies. 1. The major flavonoids in R. rugosa petals were kaempferol (K) and/or quercetin (Q) 3-sophorosides. These flavonols were present in the petals of all intersectional hybrids with sect. Synstylae and sect. Pimpinellifoliae. 2. Large amounts of K and Q 3-glucosides were present in the Rosa species under sect. Synstylae as well as in all intersectional hybrids with sect. Rosa. 3. Unique flavonols, K and Q 4'-glucosides were distributed in the Rosa species under sect. Pimpinellifoliae and were the major flavonols in the intersectional hybrids with sect. Rosa. The mode of transmission of characteristic flavonoids from parental species to progenies in the three Rosa sections was established by this study. Although the parentage may be unknown, seedlings possessing K and Q 3-sophorosides in their petals can be considered to be hybrids of R. rugosa. Using flavonoid analysis to identify the parentage of R. rugosa hybrids is herein proposed.