LIPID-CONTENT IN LEAVES OF DESCHAMPSIA-ANTARCTICA FROM THE MARITIME ANTARCTIC

Deschampsia antarctica plants were collected in Robert Island, Maritim e Antarctica, and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Polar lipids and the comp osition of fatty acids in phospholipids and galactolipids were analyse d in leaves and roots. Compared to other Gramineae, no unusual content s in polar lipids and in the degree of unsaturation of fatty acids in most lipid fractions were found. The highest unsaturation ratio (unsat urated/saturated fatty acids) of 3.3 was found in the phosphatidylinos itol fraction. Although summer environmental temperatures in Robert Is land are usually around 0 degrees, leaves often reach higher temperatu res, which are near their photosynthetic optimum.