Investigations on carotenoids in lichens. XXII. Lichens from the Upper Tracja Valley (Bulgaria)

Abstract

Column and thin-layer chromatography were used to study the occurrence of various carotenoids in 17 lichen species collected in the Upper Tracja Valley in Bulgaria. The following carotenoids were found: lycoxanthin. lycophyll, α-, β-carotene, rubixanthin, α-. β-cryptoxanthin. lutein, lutein epoxide, β-carotenc epoxide, zeaxanthin, antheraxanthin. canthaxanthin, adonixanthin, α-doradexanthin, phoenicoxanthin. mutatochrome, mutatoxanthin, diatoxanthin and neoxanthin. The total carotenoid contents ranged from 5.737 (Peltigera horizontalis) to 63.659 μg g-1 dry weight (Xanthoria perietina).