Leaves of foreign Astragalus species were examined for the presence and type of poisonous aliphatic nitro compounds. Twenty-two (24%) of the 92 species examined tested positive for nitro compounds and 70 (76%) tested negative. Three nitro-bearing species, Astragalus bodeanus Fisch., Astragalus isfahanicus Boiss., and Astragalus siliquosus Boiss. synthesized 3-nitro-1-propanol (3-NPOH). The other nitro-bearing species synthesized 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NPA). Ten taxonomic sections had a high percentage of nitro-bearing species. Chemotaxonomic relationships in Astragalus suggest that most, if not all, of the other species in these 10 sections would synthesize nitro compounds.
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Williams et al. (1982) studied this question.
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