Fatty acids of the Saturejoideae, Ajugoideae and Scutellarioideae (Lamiaceae)

Abstract

Fatty acid composition of nutlet lipids in 62 species from the Saturejoideae, seven species from the Ajugoideae and four species from the Scutellarioideae have been analysed. Linolenate was the predominant acid in all species from the Saturejoideae but in the Ajugoideae, linoleate and linolenate were the major fatty acids. In the Scutellarioideae, linoleate was the dominant fatty acid. Results showed that the fatty acid composition of nutlet lipids and their linolenate/linoleate ratios may be useful as taxonomic markers for the differentiation of genera belonging to different subfamilies of the Lamiaceae. © 1991.