Organization of the plant family Malvaceae has always been disputed among taxonomists. Recently, Malvaceae has been re-defined based on genomics studies to also include the traditional plant families Bombacaceae, Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae. We have been surveying the fatty acid profiles of this group of plants as part of an effort to understand how cottonseed oil (Gossypium spp.) might be modified to better meet market demands. During this survey, several species from the Tilia and Grewia genera, both part of the Tiliaceae family, were evaluated and found to have notable fatty acid differences. Specifically, Tilia spp. seed oils were found to contain substantial levels of cyclopropenoid fatty acids (6-17%) as well as some unsaturated heptadecyl fatty acids (1.3-2.3%), while all of the Grewia spp. seed oils were devoid of these acids. In this report, we present the seed oil fatty acid profiles of 20 Grewia species. The results support the new definition of Malvaceae, which places Tilia and Grewia spp. plants into two well-separated subfamilies within the cladistic tree.

Fatty acid profiles of plants from the genus <i>Grewia</i>

245th National Meeting (2013)

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Fatty acid profiles of plants from the genus Grewia