Cupressus bakeri Cupressaceae

The fatty acid composition of the Baker cypress is comparatively complex. The major saturated acids were identified as palmitic (16 0) [chain lengthmumber of double bonds], stearic (18 0), and arachidic (20 0) with only minor contributions from 

The value of spruce-oil chemistry in sorting out problems of hybridization and introgression—major factors in Picea taxonomy—was succinctly summarized by von Rudloff who defined three situations (1) Terpene variation is limited such that it is not possible to use these characters in studies of introgression this is the case in eastern North America where the ranges of black spruce and red spruce overlap. (2) Sufficient variation in terpene profiles exists for the compounds to be useful markers in systematic studies as seen in white spruce. Brewer s spruce, and Sitka spruce. (3) Tree-to-tree variation in terpene content is so variable that use in che-mosystematic studies is precluded, or at least requires very large sample sizes for statistical reliability, as seen with Engelmann s spruce. 

The overall usefulness of terpene data for defining geographical races is shown in the comparison of profiles of eastern and western white spruce (see von Rudloff, 1975, for specific citations). Leaf oil analysis revealed consistent differences in 

In order to expand the chemical sampling of this species to its entire range and to investigate xylem terpenoids in detail, Zavarin et al. (1990) collected wood samples from 191 trees from 20 areas, isolated the monoterpene fractions, and subjected them to GLC analysis. The major component was identified as a-pinene, with P-pinene, 3-carene, and limonene as lesser, but stiU important, components. Minor 

Until the work of Zavarin and Snajberk (1973a), the only chemical information available on the bristlecone pines was the report by Haagen-Smit et al. (1950) that the major component of P. longaeva (at that time referred to as P. aristata) turpentine was a-pinene and, interestingly, that the optical rotation of a-pinene from P. longaeva and southern specimens of P. balfouriana was dextro rotatory (h-26.12° and +23.72°, respectively), whereas that of northern specimens of P. balfouriana was levo rotatory (-10.23°). 

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