Fatty acid composition of cuphea seed oils.

Nineteen species of 10 taxonomic sections of Cuphea were analyzed for fatty acid composition of the seed oils. Two sections of the genus, Trispermum and Pseudocircaea, previously unreported, are included. Lauric acid is the major component of the seed oil in seven of the species surveyed; capric and myristic each predominate in five. Linolenic acid, previously thought to be only a trace component of Cuphea seed oils, is the major constituent of two species. Two others are rich in linoleic acid, another minor component of most Cupbea oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]