Abstract:
Flavonoids are
basic configuration C^- C3- C& and ubiquitous occurrence. Flavonoids have
been used to solve the problems at different taxonomic levels and the three
classes of flavonoids frequently used for these studies are anthocyanidins,
flavones and flavonols. Moreover, the flavonoids are also used to solve
the problems of plant identification where flowering and fruit
development does not occur frequently.
Dipterocarpaceae is an important woody plant family mostly
dominating the wet zone forests in Sri Lanka. There are two views put
forward by Ashton (1980) and Kostermans (1992) regarding the
classification of the family Dipterocarpaceae of Sri Lanka showing
significant differences in generic, subgeneric and species boundaries.
Flowering or fruiting of most of the Dipterocarpaceae members are very
periodical and there is need for a method, which does not use reproductive
parts to solve such problems. In this investigation leaves of 45 species
with subspecies reported by Ashton (1980), Stemonoporus moonii
reported by Kostermans (1992) and the only species of Dipterocarpaceae
present in Nepal, Shorea robusta were used either in the form of fresh or
dried leaves.
