SEED FATS OF SOME NEW ZEALAND LILIACEAE

Abstract

The seed fats of Herpolirion novae-zelandiae, Xeronema callistemon, Dianella intermedia, two species of Arthropodium and six of Bulbinella, members of the family Liliaceae, have been examined, and found to contain as their predominant fatty acids linoleic 65–87%, oleic 7–24% and palmitic 5–16%. They are similar to Group 1 of Astelia (Liliaceae). Iphigenia novae-zelandiae (Liliaceae) shows a different pattern of fatty acids, containing 17% hexadecenoic, 20% palmitic, 26% linoleic and 34% oleic acids as well as trace amounts of C12, C14, C15 and C17 alkanoic and C15 and C17 alkenoic acids. It is thereby distinguished from the other New Zealand Liliaceae, the New Zealand Agavaceae and the New Zealand Juncaceae.