SEED FATS OF NEW ZEALAND IRIDACEAE

Abstract

The seed fats of four species of Libertia, family Iridaceae, have been examined. Those of L, grandiflora, L. ixioides and L. peregrinans are similar to one another and have been found to contain as their predominant fatty acids: 11–22% myristic, 14–21% palmitic, 13–25% oleic and 37–57% linoleic. They differ from the New Zealand Agavaceae, Juncaceae and Liliaceae in containing major amounts of myristic acid. The fourth species L. pulchella contains less than 1 % myristic, 19–26% palmitic, 9–20% oleic and 57–61 % hnoleic acids.