Crystallographic studies of plant waxes

Plant surfaces are mostly covered with microscopic layers of wax which exhi bit characteristic morphologies, visible under high magnification. Waxes be longing to three different types were investigated. Powder data of seven na tural and three recrystallised waxes as well as of two isolated compounds a re presented. The mainly crystalline nature of the studied plant waxes is p roved. The correlation between morphology, chemical composition, and powder patterns is discussed. (C) 2000 International Centre for Diffraction Data. [S0885-7156(00)00502-9].