ulata because they contain the 3G5G- and 3G-types of anthocya-
nins and a small amount of the 3GX-type of anthocyanin. Based
on that fact, C. subintegra appears to be either a younger species
than the two primitive species or the intermediate species of C.
reticulata and C. saluenensis.
Ming (1998) also suggested that C. hongkongensis is a primitive
species based on its geographical distribution and morphological
characteristics, but our data indicate that primitive types of antho-
cyanin distribution are unambiguously based on 3G5G- and 3GX-
types of pigments. In consideration of this, C. hongkongensis, which
is now distributed in the southern area of Mt. Nanlin in southeast-
ern China, does not appear to be universally primitive in character.
Because Harborne (1976) explained that when wild plants are cul-