Eleven homoisoflavonoids and two xanthones were isolated and characterized from the bulbs of Ledebouria graminifolia. Five of
the homoisoflavonoids are new compounds and were identified as: 5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-3-(40-hydroxybenzyl)-4-chromanone,
5-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxy-3-(40-hydroxybenzyl)-4-chromanone, 5,7,8-trimethoxy-3-(40-hydroxybenzyl)-4-chromanone, 5-hydroxy-
30,40,7-trimethoxyspiro{2H-1-benzopyran-70-bicyclo[4.2.0]octa[1,3,5]-trien}-4-one, 5,7-dihydroxy-30,40-dimethoxyspiro{2H-1-benzopyran-
70-bicyclo[4.2.0]octa[1,3,5]-trien}-4-one. Structures were elucidated by extensive 1D, and 2D NMR spectroscopy and HRMS.
A method for tissue culture was developed and the bulbs of mature plants were found to contain all the compounds isolated from the wild specimens of L. graminifolia.