STUDY OF THE FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OF THE SEED OILS OF SOME WILD PLANTS IN SPAIN

The fatty acid composition of 34 species of plants from a variety of families that grow wild in the Iberian Peninsula was analysed. The aim to the survey was to indentify oils that contain a mix of fatty acids that from a qualitative or quantitative point of view have a commercial value. Because of the diverse taxonomic origin of the samples, the oil content between species was very variable, fluctuating between an average value of 3.4% in the Caryphyllaceae and 31.1% in Euphorbiaceae. Like the oil content, the fatty acid composition was quite variable, but, in general, the main fatty acids were palmitic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acid, while in the Brassicaceae and in the Apiaceae erucic acid and petroselinic acid were the principal fatty acids respectively.