Triterpenoids in Epicuticular Waxes

Abstract

All aerial organs of higher plants are covered primarily with a thin continuous wax layer. These surface or epicuticular waxes consist of a very complex mixture of different components. In most cases these very long chained lipids are found in form of homologous series. The composition of the wax lipids shows species specific and also organ specific patterns. But numerous plants in addition contain triterpenoids, mostly pentacyclic compounds. The composition of triterpenoids from two Euphorbia species and from the leaf waxes of the trees Citrus halimii, Tilia tomentosa and Tilia x europaea will be summarized in this paper (Table 1).