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

The fatty acid composition of 34 species of plants from a variety of f amilies 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 commercia l value. Because of the diverse taxonomic origin of the samples, the o il content between species was very variable, fluctuating between an a verage 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 a nd linolenic acid, while in the Brassicaceae and in the Apiaceae eruci c acid and petroselinic acid were the principal fatty acids respective ly.