Fatty acid components of seed fats from four plant families

Abstract

Seed fats of Cleodendrum infortunatum (Verbenaceae), Iatropha curcas (Euphorbiaceae), and Coccinia cordifolia (Cucurbitaceae) were rich in palmitic (12.6 21.8, and 16.3%), oleic (74.0, 41.0, and 22.4%) and linoleic (7.7, 27.2, and 58.6%) acids. No unusual acids occurred. The seed fat of Emblica officinalis (Euphorbiaceae) contained 64.8% of linolenic acid and resembled linseed oil closely; an unusual trace component was 0.5% of C21:0. The seed fat of Trichodesma zelanium (Boraginaceae), in addn. to oleic (30.6%) and linoleic (21.9%) acids, contained 2 octadecatrienoic acids: 9,12,15-(21.6%) and 6,9,12-(5.5%), in addn. to 3.5% of a C18 tetraenoic acid, perhaps of 6,9,12,15- configuration.