FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OF SAXIFRAGACEAE O ILS

The fatty acid composition of seed oil of five Saxifragaceae species h as been investigated : Grossularia burejensis, Hydrangea petiolaris, S axifraga aquatica, Saxifraga moschata, Schizophragma hydrangeoides. Th ese species have not been studied previously. In the first one only, g amma-linolenic acid has been found (12%), as well as stearidonic acid (6%). Other are deprived of these acids, but two species are rich sour ces of linoleic acid (75%):H. petiolaris and S. hydrangeoides. The res ults obtained here argue for the division of Saxifragaceae into some v eiy close families or subfamilies. Among these, we have found that Rib esaceae or Ribesoideae regroupping the genera Grossularia and Ribes, f orm interesting sources of gamma-linolenic acid. Seven species of the genus Ribes have already been investigated. Black currant (Ribes nigru m) exhibit the highest content of this fatty acid. It has been shown a lso that crude and cooked red currant fruits (Ribes rubrum) gave the s ame seed oil composition.