Tocopherol, plastochromanol and fatty acid patterns in the genusLinum

The fatty acid composition of the seed oil has been used as a criterion in searching for a rational infrageneric classification ofLinum L.. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the taxonomic potential of other seed traits such as tocopherols and plastochromanol-8 in this genus. The results revealed that, in addition to fatty acids, tocopherols and plastochromanol-8 possess an important chemotaxonomic value for the genusLinum. Sect.Linum and sect.Syllinum Griseb. clearly differed from each other for the three types of compounds. Sect.Linum was characterized by the presence of plastochromanol-8, a high concentration of linolenic acid, and an intermediate or low concentration of alpha-tocopherol. Contrarily, sect.Syllinum lacked plastochromanol-8 and contained a low concentration of linolenic acid and a high concentration of alpha-tocopherol. The three species evaluated of the sectionLinastrum (Planch.) Bentham showed no common pattern, questioning their classification within the same section.