DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN TISSUES FROM CARNATION (DIANTHUS-CARYOPHYLLUS) STEMS BY PYROLYSIS MASS-SPECTROMETRY

Small pieces of different tissues from stems of young and old carnation plants were analyzed for lignification (lignin/cellulose ratios) and lignin composition by means of pyrolysis-(gas chromatography)-mass spectrometry. The epidermis and phloem of young and old stems were essentially non-lignified. Pith parenchyma was only lignified in mature and senescing tissues. The type of lignin in sclerenchyma differed from that in xylem and pith. Lignification in the xylem of very young tissues was a mainly guaiacyl-type lignin, which gradually changed into a mixed guaiacyl-syringyl lignin in older tissues. In mature tissues, the sclerenchyma was more highly lignified than the xylem.All tissues yielded comparatively large amounts of dihydroferulic acid, a compound which may be specific for carnation. © 1990 Annals of Botany Company.