Chemical Composition and Surface Structures of Epicuticular Leaf Waxes from Castanea Sativa and Aesculus Hippocastanum

Abstract

Epicuticular leaf waxes of Castanea sativa and Aesculus hippocastanum contain the same lipids in form of homologous series o f hydrocarbons, wax esters, aldehydes, primary alcohols and fatty acids in similar concentrations without any main component dominating. In Aehippocastanum wax acetates are present, additionally. Both waxes are found to contain triterpenols and triterpenol esters in remarkable amounts. ß-Amyrin, a-amyrin and lupeol are present in both plant waxes, in Ae. hippocastanum wax friedelanol and friedelanone, additionally. The epidermis o f both plants are covered with a thin continuous wax layer without crystalloids. But the adaxial leaf surface o f C. sativa shows granular wax sculptures and therefore a different micromorphological ultrastructure for both leaf sides. © 1992, Walter de Gruyter. All rights reserved.