A study of oil-bearing seeds from indigenous plants

Lighthelm, Salomon Petrus

A study of oil-bearing seeds from indigenous plants

Doctoral Thesis

1951

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Chemistry

Faculty

Faculty of Science

Abstract

In the course of this investigation, the seeds and fruit of the following species have been investigated: (1) Three members of the genus Ximenia viz., X. caffra Sond., X caffra var. natalensis Sond. and X. americana var. microphylla Welw., commonly known as "sour plum". (2) Sclerocarva caffra Sond., commonly known as Maroola. (3) Three members of the Strychnos family viz. Strychnos innocua, Strychnos dysophylla and Strychnos Scoccoloides. The oil content of the kernels of the Ximenia species and of Sclerocarva caffra Sond. has been determined, as well as the oil content of the fruit pulp and kernels of the Strychnos species. As the oil content of the fruit of the Strychnos species was found to be extremely low, work on these species was not carried further. The composition of the kernel oils of the other species was, however, determined. The absorption spectra of the oils from the Ximenia species revealed the presence of a conjugated acid. This acid has been isolated and characterised as Octadeca-11-ene-9-ynoic acid, the common name Ximenynic acid, is proposed for it. Two other unsaturated acids, Ximenic acid and Lumeniqueic acid were isolated in 95-97% purity.

Keywords

Chemistry

Reference:

Collections

PhD / Doctoral

Full item page