FATTY-ACIDS AND PHOSPHOLIPIDS FROM LICHENS OF THE ORDER LECANORALES

Three lichen species from the order Lecanorales were examined for their fatty acids by capillary GC-MS. Among the 70 fatty acids identified, 22 were saturated, including six iso-acids, two anteiso-acids, one pristanic acid and one phytanic acid; their total amount varied from 10.6 to 26.8%. Twenty-four acids were monoenoic (14.9-24.4% five including 25:1, 26:1, 28:1 and 30:1), dienoic (8.0-12.0%), eleven trienoic (21.3-33.9%) and eight were polyenoic (8.6-41.1%). Lichen samples were also examined for total lipids and phospholipids. Total lipids varied from 13.4 to 30.7 mg g-1 dry wt. The major phospholipid was phosphatidylcholine.