IDENTIFICATION OF ORCINOL IN HIGHER PLANTS IN FAMILY ERICACEAE

Orcinol (5-methylresorcinol) has been detected for the first time in higher plants, in ten species of the Ericaceae. It was found as the β-d-glucoside in leaves of Erica arborea var. alpina and identified by comparison with material synthesized by feeding broad beans with free orcinol. Besides occurring in E. arborea, orcinol was detected in all of three Phyllodoce species examined, in two Pieris species and in Rhododendron (in four of fifty-five species surveyed). It is thus of rare but scattered occurrence in the family. © 1969.