Cryptostegia grandiflora - a potential multi-use crop

Cryptostegia grandiflora, a member of Asclepiadaceae, was evaluated as a po tential multi-use crop. The plant contained 14.0% protein, 6.5% oil, 6.9% p olyphenol, and 2.13% hydrocarbon. The gross heat value of the species was 3 878.0 cal/g, while the oil fraction was 7350.1 cal/g, and the hydrocarbon f raction was 9300.0 cal/g. The NMR spectra of the hydrocarbon fraction revea ls the presence of cis-polyisoprene (natural rubber). The oil fraction cont ains both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids including: lauric acid (tra ce), myristic acid (15.24%), palmitic acid (25.90%), stearic acid (3.8%), o leic acid (8.0%), linoleic acid (24.76%), and arachidic acid (22.28%). The high proportion of saturated fatty acids and the high oil content (> 5.0%) make C. grandiflora a potential source for industrial raw material and alte rnative for conventional oil. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights res erved.