**1. Introduction**

The red propolis is the second most produced and traded type of propolis in Brazil and constitutes an important commercial asset for northeast Brazilian beekeepers. Apiaries devoted to Brazilian red propolis (BRP) production are frequently located around native populations of the fabaceous species *Dalbergia ecastaphyllum* (L.) Taub., which produces a red resin that is collected by bees to produce propolis in the beehive [1]. The studies by Daugsch et al. (2008) and Silva et al. (2008) were the first ones to describe, simultaneously in 2008, *D. ecastaphyllum* as the main botanical source of the BRP [2,3]. These initial studies together with the report of Piccinelli et al. (2011) confirmed the presence of a rich variety of phenolic compounds, in both the propolis and the plant resin, such as chalcones (e.g., isoliquiritigenin), flavonoids (e.g., luteolin, liquiritigenin), isoflavones (e.g., formononetin, biochanin A), isoflavans (e.g., vestitol, neovestitol, 7-O-methylvestitol), pterocarpanes (e.g., medicarpin, homopterocarpin, vesticarpan), and C30 isoflavans (retusapurpurins A and B) [4].

Subsequent studies have shown the great qualitative and quantitative variability of the constituents present in red propolis, which are influenced by regional and seasonal factors [5]. Nevertheless, reports on the presence of substantial amounts of polyprenylated benzophenones, such as gutifferone E and oblongifolin A in BRP, have appeared in the literature more frequently [6,7]. Even though the botanical source of these latter constituents was unknown, Piccinelli et al. (2011) inferred from a chemotaxonomic point of view that these compounds must derive from a member of the Clusiaceae family [4]. Important biological activities of BRP extracts, such as antimicrobial, fungicidal, and cytotoxic properties, have been correlated with the occurrence of polyprenylated benzophenones [6,8,9]. Thus, establishing its botanical source may help to increase red propolis production and to attain a higher degree of chemical standardization. Therefore, field surveys, phytochemical and chromatographic analyses were undertaken in order to identify the botanical source of polyprenylated benzophenones present in the red propolis produced by apiaries of the Beekeepers Association of Canavieiras (Cooperativa de Apicultores de Canavieiras—COAPER), Bahia, Brazil.

#### **2. Results**

A filed survey was carried out in March 2019 in order to collect local red propolis samples, the reddish resin of *D. ecastaphyllum*, and to identify other resin-producing plant species, especially of the Clusiaceae family, located in the surrounding flora of apiaries from the COAPER beekeepers association. The presence of individuals of *Symphonia globulifera* L.f. was evidenced and its resin was collected, transported to the laboratory, lyophilized, and kept under refrigeration.
