Spectral characteristics of flowers of the ornamental species Ptelea trifoliata L.
Abstract
One of the directions of flora adventitization is considered to be the spread of naturalized alien ornamental plants outside the territory of introduction in botanical gardens. The problem has become particularly relevant in modern conditions, since climate change may reduce the barriers to naturalization for some ornamental alien species. In this regard, the identification of such species and the study of their functional characteristics are important for predicting future phytoinvasions. Among these species, the common hoptree Ptelea trifoliata L. (family Rutaceae) - an introducer of North American origin - attracts attention. Plants of this species are ornamental shrubs or small trees, characterized by high decorativeness, original crown structure, bright color of leaves and flowers with a unique aroma. Extracts from different parts of the plant exhibit biological activity, which confirms the prospect of further pharmacognostic studies of this species. However, the pigment composition and spectral indicators of flowers for the identification of common hoptree have not yet been studied. The reflective and colorimetric characteristics of P. trifoliata petals were determined for the first time. The presence of flavonoids, carotenoids, and chlorophylls in vivo was confirmed by the position of analytical maxima and the ratios of their intensities in the reflection spectrum. The use of first-order differentiation of the spectral curve increased the degree of separation of the maxima of light-absorbing compounds localized in the surface tissues of the petals. As a result of the analysis of the spectral distribution of the light flux reflected from the pigmented surface, colorimetric parameters were obtained. The combination of these parameters determines the color stimulus, which defines the corresponding perception of the color of the studied flowers by the observer. The results obtained can be used to identify the color feature of common hoptree flowers, as well as to confirm the identity of the raw materials of this plant when obtaining biologically active substances.
Downloads
References
Dudyn R., Fitak M., Falko I. (2020). Scientific principles for the renewal of the Ivan Franko park in Lviv city. Scientific Reports of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, 16(2), 227-237 (in Ukrainian) https://doi.org/10.31548/dopovidi2020.02.020
Zavialova L. V. (2017). The most harmful invasive plant species for native phytodiversity of protected areas of Ukraine. Biological Systems, 9(1), 87-107 (in Ukrainian)
Zaitseva I. O., Dolgova L. G. (2010). Physiological and biochemical foundations of the introduction of woody plants in the Steppe Dnieper Region. Dnipropetrovsk: Dnipropetrovsk National University. 388 p. (in Ukrainian)
Ivanko I. А., Baranovsky B. O., Kabar A. М., Karmyzova L. O., Holoborodko K. K., Didur O. O. (2024). Modern diversity and dynamics of dendroflora in the megalopolis located in subaride zone (Dnipro city). Dnipro: LIRA. 196 p. (in Ukrainian)
Mazepa M., Artemovska D., Gun T. (2002). Selection of introduced species for the assortment of city planting. Bulletin of the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian University. Biology Series, 2, 19-24 (in Ukrainian)
Marchenko A., Rogovsky S., Oleshko O., Strutynska Y. (2022). Dendroflora of the BNAU botanical garden and the prospects for its enrichment in connection with the development of the territory as an object of the nature reserve fund. Agrobiology, 2, 161–181 (in Ukrainian) https://doi.org/10.33245/2310-9270-2022-174-2-161-18
Parashchuk O., Levon V. (2025). Anthocyanins and flavonols content in leaves of Rutaceae Juss family representatives as markers of stress tolerance. Journal of Native and Alien Plant Studies, 21, 187–200 (in Ukrainian) https://doi.org/10.37555/2707-3114.21.2025.346435
Fedenko V. S. (2022). Chemisorption of flavonoids from canadian goldenrod on aluminum oxide. Journal of Chemistry and Technologies, 30(3), 340–348 (in Ukrainian) https://doi.org/10.15421/jchemtech.v30i3.262972
Fedenko V. S. (2024b). Spectral characteristics of protocyanin supramolecular pigment as pharmacognostic criteria of Centaurea cyanus L. flowers. Journal of Chemistry and Technologies, 32(2), 256-266 (in Ukrainian) https://doi.org/10.15421/jchemtech.v32i2.298075
Fedenko V. S. (2025b). Flowers spectral characteristics of the invasive heliophyte species Erigeron canadensis L. Visnyk of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Series Еcоlogy, 32, 134–415 (in Ukrainian) https://doi.org/10.26565/1992-4259-2025-32-10
Shelyuk Yu. S., Astakhova L. E., Osetska L. S. (2024). Resin-bearing plants of various types of plant communities of the Central Polissia. Ukrainian Journal of Natural Sciences, 7, 52-62 (in Ukrainian) https://doi.org/10.32782/naturaljournal.7.2024.6
Ambrose J. D., Kevan P. G., Gadawski R. M. (1985). Hop tree (Ptelea trifoliata) in Canada: population and reproductive biology of a rare species. Canadian Journal of Botany, 63(11), 1928-1935.
Baranovski B. A., Karmyzova L. A., Dubуna D. V., Shevera M. V. (2023). Bioecology and hemeroby of flora species in the Northern Steppe Dnipro Region. Biosystems Diversity, 31(4), 548–577. https://doi.org/10.15421/012365
Burda R. I., Koniakin S. N. (2019). The non-native woody species of the flora of Ukraine: Introduction, naturalization and invasion. Biosystems Diversity, 27(3), 276–290. https://doi.org/10.15421/011937
De Paola L., Veldhuis T. A., Kraaij M., Stavenga D. G., Tiedge K. J., van der Kooi C. J. (2026). Stacked scattering: The key to bright flowers lies in the mesophyll. American Journal of Botany, 113(1), e70104. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.70104
Haeuser E., Dawson W., Thuiller W., Dullinger S., Block S., Bossdorf O., Carboni M., Conti L., Dullinger I., Essl F., Klonner G., Moser D., Münkemüller T., Parepa M., Talluto L., Kreft H., Pergl J., Pyšek P., Weigelt P., Winter M., Hermy M., Van der Veken S., Roquet C., van Kleunen M. (2018). European ornamental garden flora as an invasion debt under climate change. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55(5), 2386-2395. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13197
Jones T. S., Culham A., Pickles B. J., David J. (2024). Can gardeners identify ‘future invaders’? NeoBiota, 91, 125-144. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.91.110560
Karg C. A., Taniguchi M., Lindsey J. S., Moser S. (2023). Phyllobilins–Bioactive natural products derived from chlorophyll–Plant origins, structures, absorption spectra, and biomedical properties. Planta Medica, 89(06), 637-662. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1955-4624
Khazratov A. T., Juraeva H. K., Akhmedova V. U., Mustafina F. U., Abdinazarov S. K. (2025). Conservation of the diversity of botanical garden collection with the use of in vitro techniques with example of Ptelea trifoliata L. (Rutaceae Juss.). Ecological Bulletin of Kryvyi Rih District, 9, 66-72.
Kuhn P., Sobiak J., Plech T., Rosiak N., Cielecka-Pionte, J., Karaźniewicz-Łada M., Studzińska-Sroka E. (2025). Bioactive potential of Ptelea trifoliata flower extracts: antioxidant, enzyme-modulating, and wound healing activities with possible biomedical and dermal applications. Applied Sciences, 16(1), 88. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16010088
Lukash O., Stupak Yu., Morskyi V., Aravin M. (2024). Adventive tree and shrub plant species with medicinal properties in the Chernihiv city`s green infrastructure. Biota. Human. Technology, 1, 9-18. https://doi.org/10.58407/bht.1.24.1
Marco A., Lavergne S., Dutoit T., Bertaudiere-Montes V. (2010). From the backyard to the backcountry: how ecological and biological traits explain the escape of garden plants into Mediterranean old fields. Biological Invasions, 12(4), 761-779. https://doi.org/10.58407/bht.1.24.1
Patil P., Divya M. P., Parthiban K. T., Balasubramanian A., Varadha Raj S., Ravi R., Ashick Rajah R. (2026) Strategic valorization of invasive alien plants: A bioeconomic review for sustainable product development. Frontiers in Plant Science, 16, 1697102. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2025.1697102
Setzer W. N., Satyal P. (2019). Essential oil compositions of male and female flowers of Ptelea trifoliata. American Journal of Essential Oils and Natural Products, 7(4), 18-22.
Steinberg K. M., Satyal P., Setzer W. N. (2017). Bark essential oils of Zanthoxylum clava-herculis and Ptelea trifoliata: Enantiomeric distribution of monoterpenoids. Natural Product Communications, 12(6), 1934578X1701200632. https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578X1701200632
Takaku S., Setzer W. N. (2007). Chemical composition of the leaf essential oil of Ptelea trifoliata. Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants, 10(2), 104-108. https://doi.org/10.1080/0972060X.2007.10643527
Talcott A. J., Graves W. R. (2020). Cold stratification and pericarp removal improve seed germination of Ptelea trifoliata and Ptelea crenulata. HortScience, 55(4), 503-506. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI14693-19
Talcott Stewart A. J., Boylston T., Wilson L., Graves W. R. (2022a). Floral aromatics of Ptelea: Chemical identification and human response. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 147(1), 25-34. https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS05119-21
Talcott Stewart A. J., O’Neal M. E., Graves W. R. (2022b). Insect floral visitors of Ptelea trifoliata (Rutaceae) in Iowa, United States. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 115(5), 378-386. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/saac012
van der Kooi C. J., Elzenga J. T. M., Staal M., Stavenga D. G. (2016). How to colour a flower: on the optical principles of flower coloration. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 283, 20160429. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.0429
Zazharskyi V. V., Davydenko P. О., Kulishenko O. М., Borovik I. V., Zazharska N. M., Brygadyrenko V. V. (2020). Antibacterial and fungicidal activities of ethanol extracts of 38 species of plants. Biosystems Diversity, 28(3), 281–289. https://doi.org/10.15421/012037
Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the journal the right of its first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0), that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship.
Authors are permitted to enter into additional non-exclusive agreements for the distribution of the published version of their work (for example, depositing it in institutional repositories or including it in collections), provided that the original publication in this journal is properly acknowledged.
