432 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol IX, October, 1953 
The Liebermann-Burchard test was used to 
detect the presence of polycyclic substances. 
A small amount of dried, finely chopped 
material was treated, on a white spotting tile, 
with a few drops of acetic anhydride, then 
with 1-2 drops of concentrated sulphuric 
acid. Triterpenoids (in dicotyledons) give 
purple and pink colours, which are more 
persistent than the blue shades suggestive of 
steroids (chiefly in monocotyledons). 
If both froth and Liebermann-Burchard 
tests, or froth test only, are positive, saponin 
is probably present. If only Liebermann- 
Burchard test is positive, then a free poly- 
cyclic substance may be present (Dunstan, 
1948). 
Samples were also tested for aluminium 
accumulation, using the method of Chenery 
(1948), and the results are published else- 
where (Webb, 1954). 
In addition, other features of the plants 
such as presence of essential oils, foetid smell 
(e.g., methyl mercaptan), and pigments were 
noted. As specific tests were not applied, these 
data have been omitted. 
Samples of reputed medicinal plants were 
collected for identification also, and this in- 
formation will be published elsewhere. 
For convenience, the families in Table 1 
are arranged alphabetically. Brief comments, 
in terms of the Australian survey, are made 
concerning the phytochemical promise of each 
group. As specific identifications were not 
always possible, only the genus is given. 
Native names were noted for some of the 
plants and are given in Table 1 following the 
locality, in parentheses. The native names are 
in quotation marks followed by the name of 
the dialect. These are spelled phonetically, 
using the conventions of pidgin English (cf., 
Murphy, 1949). They are included with dif- 
fidence, but may serve, together with locality, 
to particularize the plants collected. 
DISCUSSION 
It is evident that numerous species of New 
Guinea flowering plants are worthy of de- 
TABLE 2 
Summary of Spot-test Results 
ALKALOID 
FROTH 
LB 
FROTH & 
LB 
TOTAL 
TESTED 
Species. . 
27 
18 
41 
17 
295 
Genera. . 
19 
17 
32 
16 
214 
Families . 
9 
13 
23 
10 
78 
Alkaloids in 9 per cent, saponins in 12 per cent, free triter- 
penoids or steroids 14 per cent. 
tailed examination for alkaloids, saponins, 
pigments, cyanogenetic glycosides and other 
compounds. The present brief survey did not 
reveal any alkaloid-bearing families addi- 
tional to those found in the Australian survey 
(Webb, 1953: 44). Additional genera contain- 
ing alkaloids were found, however. Many 
positive genera have species endemic to New 
Guinea which should be systematically tested. 
The complexity of the flora requires search by, 
and co-operation with, experienced system- 
atic botanists. Also, sampling of quadrats of 
adequate area (preferably several hectares), in 
which all species are differentiated, with the 
aid of competent natives if botanists are not 
available, would provide both useful phyto- 
chemical and ecological data. The relative 
inaccessibility of most areas of New Guinea 
requires special provision for on-the-spot dry- 
ing of bulk samples for analysis, which should 
then be transported in air-tight containers. 
Record of authentic native name and dialect 
of the particular species facilitates further col- 
lections when a botanist is not in the area. 
The Standing Committee of Pacific Botany, 
Pacific Science Association, formed a sub- 
committee on Medicinal Plants in 1953 
(Chairman: Professor Ir. Kusnoto Setyodi- 
wiryo). Also, the Pan Indian Ocean Scientific 
Congress held in Perth, West Australia, in 
1954, discussed the organization of a joint 
drug plants survey. It is hoped that these 
practical efforts will result in a systematic, 
and long overdue, inventory of the plant 
products of the Indo-Malaysian region north 
of Australia. 
