Quantitative variations of individual carotenoids in relationship with the leaflet development of six species of the genus Ceratozamia (Cycads)

The content and relative variations of individual carotenoids during the leaflet development stages (I, II, III, A and P) of six species of Ceratozamia (Cycads) were investigated. There is an unusual, transitory and marked presence of six red stroma keto-carotenoids in the first development stages, while the thylakoidal carotenoids showed a low concentration during the same period. As no official image coefficients were available, it was necessary to calculate these for the following stroma carotenoids: semi-β-carotenone (major component), triphasiaxanthin, ceratoxanthin, ceratozamiaxanthin, kuesteriaxanthin and ceratoxanthone. The stroma keto-carotenoids, which reached the highest content in the first development stage (average of 78% of total carotenoids), were always present in the five species: C. fuscoviridis, C. robusta, C. spinosa, C. kuesteriana and C. hildae, but never in C. mexicana. From stage II, the stroma keto-carotenoids decreased and finally disappeared in the green adult leaflets. The thylakoidal carotenoids showed a minimum at stage III, and then increased to a maximum in the perennial leaflets. Among these, β-carotene showed an anomalous and characteristic behaviour, being a minor component during leaflet development (from stage I to A). In stage P it was markedly exceeded not only by lutein but also by α-carotene, neoxanthin and violaxanthin, and in C. robusta also by lutein-5,6-epoxide. Additionally, the image ratio in these species is unusual: it increased from 0.3–0.5 to 1.5–3.0 during leaflet development. Moreover, antheraxanthin amounts are very small, while zeaxanthin was present only in the evergreen leaflets of C. mexicana in small quantities. Lutein-5,6-epoxide represented more than 5% of thylakoidal carotenoids in the leaflets of all the species. A revision of the taxonomic rank of C. fuscoviridis is recommended.