Composition of Seed Fats of Some Umbelliferae

Abstract

An investigation on the composition of three seed fats from cultivated species of the orderUmbelliferae has shown, that in agreement with some data mentioned in the literature, these fats contain petroselinic acid (octadecenoic acid-6) as a charasteristic main component. However mutually comparing the percentage of this component, present in the seed fats of the different species of Umbelliferae, indicated, that these percentages often differ very much, but also that the oil content can vary considerably in the seed fat of each of the members of this botanical group. The same can be observed with regard to the generally high percentage of the unsaponifiable, respectively more or less volatile components in these oils. Probably these differences in the same species have to be ascribed to different conditions of the (dunged) soil, to varying atmospheric influences, etc., during the growth of the plants, as well as to the previous history of the seeds, and their ripeness.