ANTHOCYANINS IN RIPE FRUIT OF THE SPARKLEBERRY, Vaccinium arboreum MARSH
The extracted and purified anthocyanins (Acy) of Vaccinium arboreum Marsh [section Batodendron (Nutt.) Klotzch], commonly called the sparkleberry, were indentified as the 3-monoglycosides of the aglycones delphinidin, petunidin, malvidin, cyanidin, and peonidin with the sugars arabinose, galactose, and glucose (except for cyanidin and malvidin) (or 13 of a potential 15 Acy). Vaccinium arboreum fruit contains Acy which are extremely similar to those reported for the fruits of highbush and lowbush blueberries (subgenus Cyanococcus). Vaccinium arboreum has at least 12 Acy, while those of V. stamineum (subgenus Polycodium), whose geographical range is similar to that of V. arboreum, has only three (monoglycosides of the sugars galactose, arabinose, or glucose with the aglycone cyanidin). If Acy of fruits were to be considered of taxonomic importance, V. arboreum would appear to be more closely associated with subgenus Cyanococcus than with Polycodium which is associated with subgenus Oxycoccus.