Variation of phenolic compounds in the leaves of Camellia: Camellia japonica and Camellia japonica var. decumbens in Shonai

We analysed the phenolic compounds for leaves of Camellia japonica and Camellia japonica var. decumbens for 123 individuals in Shonai, and investigated the relations between the compounds and some factors such as species, altitude, distance from seaside and maximum snowy depth. The results obtained are as follows. 1.In the both contents of (-) -epicatechin and (+) -catechin, C.japonica var. decumbens was higher than C. japonica. 2.In the 123 Individuals, they were divided into two groups by 0.2% (-) -epicatechin content and 0.02% (+) -catechin content, respectively. 3.In the relation between (-) -epicatechin content and altitude, the content showed lower value (under 0.2%) at the altitude of below 150m, and was higher at the altitude of over 150m. The content tends to show an increase ten times at the borderline of altitude (level) 150m. There were almost C japonica at lower level (of 150m), at the altitude of from 150-500 C.japonica and C.japonica var. decumbens were intermingled, and was only C.japonica var. decumbens at the upper level of 500m. 4.In the relation between (-) -epicatechin content and the distance from seaside, the content was lower and all (individuals) were C.japonica at near the seaside (within 2 km), and was higher at the mountainside (over 32km) and all were C.japonica var. decumbens. 5.In the relation between (-) -epicatechin content and maximum snowy depth, the content was lower at maximum snow fall of below 1.5m, and was higher at the level over 1.5m. C.japonica is dominant under 1.5m, C.japonica var. decumbens upper 3m, respectably. It was clear that there was the difference between (-) -epicatechin and (+) -catechin content in the leaves of C.japonica and C.japonica var. decumbens, and that the difference was influenced by the altitude and maximum snowy depth and so on. It was suggested that these contents varied on the genetic and local environmental factors.