Table 2. Oil content and fatty acid composition of oil (seed and pulp) in the fruits of three
species of Hippophae in China
Composition of fatty acids (%)
Species
Fruit part
analyzed
Oil content
(%)
Saturated
fatty acids
Un-
saturated
fatty acids
Linoleic
and
linolenic
acids
Tocopherol
(Ve)
(mg/100g)
Seeds
9.77
13.2
85.9
64.3
154.6
H. rham. ssp.
sinensis
Pulp
29.39
36.1
62.6
8.5
132.9
Seeds
10.12
15.8
84.2
60.4
180.4
H. gonio-
carpa
Pulp
29.04
28.5
71.5
29.1
181.2
Seeds
14.15
14.0
83.5
57.5
108.6
H. neuro-
carpa
Pulp
32.10
18.4
78.9
40.2
107.5
Source: Author
Notes: The oil content of seeds was calculated on the basis of dry weight and the oil content of
pulp was calculated on the basis of dried pulp. Oil in both seeds and pulp was extracted by petroleum
ether. The fatty acid composition of the oil was determined by gas chromatography.
2.1 Chemical composition of fruit juice
The chemical composition of the fruit juice of the analyzed three species is given in Table 1. Table
1 also shows that the colour of the fruits of H. rham. ssp. sinensis is orange-yellow and the colour of
fruits of H. neurocarpa is black-gray. The colour of the fruit of H. goniocarpa is just in between brown
and orange. The data of the three species in Table 1, such as weight per 100 fruits, rate of juice fresh
weight, soluble sugars, organic acids and Vitamin C show that H. goniocarpa is in between H. rham.
ssp. sinensis and H. neurocarpa. Only super-oxide dismutase (SOD) is an exception, i.e., the content
of SOD in H. goniocarpa is higher than that of the other two.
2.2 Oil and fatty acid content
The oil and fatty acid contents of oil (seeds and pulp) of the threes species are given in Table 2.
The oil contents of both seed and pulp of H. goniocarpa are in between that of H. rham. ssp. sinensis
and H. neurocarpa. The composition of fatty acids in all three species shows that the content of
unsaturated fatty acids of seeds and pulp is higher than that of saturated fatty acids. In seed oil, the
content of unsaturated fatty acids is much higher than that of saturated fatty acids in all three species.
The results of this analysis are similar to those of Lu (1990). The contents of tocopherol both in seed
oil and in pulp oil if H. goniocarpa are higher than those of H. rham. ssp. sinensis and H. neurocarpa.
3. Discussion
The field study shows that H. goniocarpa is located in a river valley with altitudes of 3,500 m. In
this area, H. rham. ssp. sinensis and H. neurocarpa are interspersed with H. goniocarpa. The three
species thus share the same ecological environment.
The fruit colour and the characteristics of fruit juice and oil content and fatty acid composition
show that H. goniocarpa is an intermediate type between H. rham. ssp. sinensis and H. neurocarpa.
According to the morphology of the plant, the colour and shape of the fruit, the chemical composi-
tion of fruit juice and oil, and the ecological distribution in the field, it appears that H. goniocarpa is a
natural hybrid between H. rham. ssp. sinensis and H. neurocarpa.
References
Lian Yongshan et al. 1998. Systematic classification of the genus Hippophae L. Seabuckthorn Research 1(1):
13-23.
Lu Rongsen 1990. Research on seabuckthorn (Hippophae) resources in China. Acta Horticulture Sinica 17(3):
177-178.
