| Abstract: | The fatty acid composition of green and white leaf tissue inAcer negundo, Zea mais, and Ilex aquifolium, of green and yellowtissue in Ligustrum ovatifolium and of etiolated and green tissuein Vicia faba has been determined. The mesophytic green leavesexamined show a general similarity in fatty acid composition,characterized by a high concentration of non-conjugated octadecatrienoicacid. Chloroplasts were isolated from Vicia and Acer and containan even higher concentration of this acid and only traces ofnon-conjugated octadecadienoic acid. Conjugated diene and trieneacids occur in traces in chioroplasts, but are also found innon-green leaf tissue. The fats of non-green leaves are in generalmore saturated than those from green tissue but vary considerablyin composition. The relationship between fat composition andplastid development is discussed. |
