Changes of Carbon Number of Hydrocarbon Contained in Various Plant Leaf Waxes

Abstract

Hydrocarbon contained in leaf waxes of 30 species was isolated chromatographically. Branched and saturated hydrocarbons were found little in them. Most of hydrocarbon was confirmed to be n-alkane. Component of maximum content ofn-alkane and pattern of the component in each species are different expect the case thatn-nonacosane (C₂₉) contained 80% ofn-alkane of Cruciferae species. Pattern of the component ofCoix ma-yuenis similar to that ofC.lachryma-jobi.It is found that there are some plant species, which contain a good deal of even-numberedn-alkane.