Phenolic compounds and characterization of low taxonomic levels in plant kingdom

The chemical markers such as phenolic compounds, have been extensively used in botanical chemosystematic studies; these last mainly concerned the high taxonomic levels: order, family, genus. In consequence of new more sensitive and automatic analytical procedures, it is possible to approach the metabolic (phenolic) profile of individual genotypes: so the Micromolecular Biology is born, concerned with the organisation and functioning of plant populations. Three examples will give support to this proposal: Dactylis glomerata, Rosa x hybrida, Lotus corniculatus.