The oil content and fatty acids profile of a number of Polish wild species of rose fruits were examined by GC. The total fatty acid contents ranged from 6.5% to 12.9% of dry mass in fruits. The composition of oils was similar in the investigated species.17 components were identified. An average composition was estimated as follows: linoleic acid (44.4-55.7%), =-linolenic acid (18.6-31.4%), oleic acid (13.5-20.3%), palmitic acid (2.3-3.3%), stearic acid (1-2.5%), octadecenoic acid (0.38-0.72%), eicosenoic acid (0.3-0.7%), eicosadienoic acid (0-0.16%), erucic acid (0.03-0.17%) and minor fatty acids.The results indicate that rose fruits are a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids, especially in R. rubiginosa, R. rugosa and R. dumalis.There were statistically significant (p<0.05) differences in fatty acid compositions of some species. Fatty acids were suggested to have a potential chemotaxonomic value in this genus.KEY WORDS: Fatty acids composition, Rosa L. fruits, GC analysis.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Plant materialRose hips were collected from bushes widely growing in Kazimierz Dolny near Lublin in Poland in September 2002 and authenticated by Prof. Dr T. Krzaczek. Names of species are those by Zieliñski (1985Zieliñski ( , 1987 and varieties by Popek (1996). A voucher specimens have been deposited in the herbarium of Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Medical University, in Lublin. The examined species are given in Table 1. 230 Nowak R. Place of collection