Separation of anthocyanin and leucoanthocyanin in flowers of Camellia japonica

Abstract

BATE-SMITH1 observed that a methanol extract of white flowers of Camellia japonica turned red after heating with dilute hydrochloric acid. This suggests that leuco-anthocyanin is present in the white flowers. By the same procedure I found that red flowers of several horticultural varieties of C. japonica contained leuco-anthocyanin yielding cyanidin, as well as a glycoside of cyanidin. © 1958 Nature Publishing Group.