Search for new industrial oils. VII

Seed oils from 37 plant species in 18 families have been analyzed for fatty acid composition by the isomerization method. The variability encountered is evidenced by the range in content of component acids: from 0–23% for apparent linolenic acid, from 8–74% for apparent linoleic acid, and from 2–88% for apparent oleic acid. Dimorphecolic acid has been found to the extent of approximately 60% in a second species ofDimorphotheca, D. pluvialis (L.) Moench, and in the closely related species,Osteospermum ecklonis (DC.) T. Norl.O. spinescens Thunb. contained instead 30% of a conjugated triene, presumably the same as the 8,10,12-octadecatrienoic reported from the relatedCalendula officinalis L. Oils rich in monoenoic acids are mostly in the Umbelliferae and Araliaceae and presumably contain petroselinic acid as well as oleic. Presented at the AOCS meeting in St. Louis, Mo., May 1–3, 1961. A laboratory of the Northern Utilization Research and Development Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S.D.A. Agricultural Research Service, U.S.D.A.