Analyses of seed samples from 113 plant families

Such classical works as those by Wiesner (15) and Wehmer (14) cover much of the earlier chemical knowledge of plant constituents. More recently, specialized research teamns have expended considerable effort in particular fields of plant eomposition, with emphasis on constituents of pharmaceutical iinportance, such as alkaloids (16), steroids (13), and tranquilizers. The current U. S. Department of Agriculture program of searching for potential new crops to provide raw miiaterials for industry (other than the pharmaceutical industry) is probably the most comprehensive effort of this type ever attempted under coordinated sponsorship of one agency and encompasses botanical, chemical, and agronomic talents. More than 3,000 seed samples from a wide spectrum of the plant kingdom have been screened in this search for new sources of industrial raw materials. The present paper reports analytical results on nearly half of these.3 Similar reports will be published as data are compiled on later accessions. As in the past (1-4, 6-12, 17), reports on oils of unusual composition or on plant groups of special promise will be fortheoming as the screening program progresses. In such a program more leads are developed than can be pursued. It is hoped that analytical data of the type in this paper will stimulate chemists and plant scientists to undertake research on some of the uncultivated or little-known species.