Research on Daviesia genus

[acacian]

So I've been volunteering at a native nursery recently and today I found a very intriguing plant which I felt compelled to take under my wing. it was called Daviesia Latifolia and is an Australian plant belonging the the genus "Daviesia" which is part of the family Fabaceae. Interestingly, this genus - like the acacia - does not have leaves, but rather phyllodes (stem extensions).. so I wondered whether this group of plants shared any potentially interesting chemical qualities with the acacia genus.

I jumped on the net and started looking for alkaloid screening of the Daviesia genus- which I found next to nothing on apart from apart from an alkaloid screening undergone in western australia which mentioned Daviesia Croniniana and Daviesia Nudiflora (without details of alkaloids found) [Distribution of alkaloids in some Western Australian Plants - T.E.H Aplin and J.R. Cannon]

Another study mentioned an Apiosylglucose Dibenzoate alkaloid isolated from Daviesia Latifolia though I could find no info on anything about this alkaloid.

I decided to start this thread in hope that either people could link anaysis of this genus as well as hopefully encourage people to do some research and testing of their own.

Due to the lack of available info regarding chemical makeup of this genus I feel I should warn people interested in testing these plants not to attempt ingesting this plant orally or via vapor - but rather have any extracts analysed via tlc or other analysis that does not involve ingestion of unknown chemicals...

below, Daviesia Latifolia (first 3 images), Daviesia Nudiflora and Daviesia Ulicifolia

 

[wira]

I have been curious about some Daviesias for a while but also could not find much in the literature. What was your source for the "Apiosylglucose Dibenzoate alkaloid" from latifolia?

On a couple of occasions I have collected samples of this and another species (my books are not with me right now, don't remember the species name) to be analysed by others with the resources to do so, but they either lost my samples or never did anything with them. I'm wary to explore without some analysis, because there are a lot of toxic things in this subfamily (Fabaceae) of the Leguminosae...

 

[acacian]

I saw it mentioned in a this paper by Bruce F. Bowden and David J. Collins: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/np50056a020

 

[xantho]

Gorgeous plant acacian! Do you have any updates regarding your research into D. latifolia? Still volunteering at the nursery? Looks from the photos like a wonderful place to be of service in

 

[Cognitive Heart]

Beautiful plant discovery! The hemispheres remind me of the human brain. Possible link? One could guess. The alkaloid structure doesn't seem that too interesting in regards to psychoactivity. Its use as a tonic is of interest, though. Some slight fever-lowering compounds as well as antiechinococcosis activity, of which is quite unique and profound in regards to healing. Interesting PDF below discussing its invigorating properties as well as a substitute for hops, but further potential chemical breakdown is needed to further this.

The bitter-tasting leaves were used
by indigenous people when infused
in water to make an invigorating
tonic and to treat fever [11]. The
bitter tasting leaves are said to
have medicinal properties, and a
decoction of leaves was made by
European settlers to expel intestinal
worms, and as a tonic [5]. The leaves
have been used as a substitute for
hops [3, 5, 10]. The leaves and stems
are also reported to produce a fawn
dye with alum as a mordant.