A Chemotaxonomic Approach to the Fatty Acid Content of Some Acacia Taxa from Central Sudan

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the composition of fatty acids of mature seeds of some Acacia taxa (Acacia mellifera, A. nilotica ssp. adansonia, A. nilotica ssp. nilotica, A. oerfota, A. polycantha ssp. campylacantha, A. enegal var. senegal, A. seyal var. seyal and A. sieberiana var. sieberiana) from Central Sudan in order to reveal their potential classification to be used as taxonomic markers. Results showed that Acacia seed oils were mainly unsaturated fatty acids ranging in content between 51.20% to 86.90%, whereas, saturated fatty acids ranged between 12.49% to 48.80%. Oleic acid was the major fatty acid 24.24% - 80.19%, followed by linoleic (5.70% - 58.73%). Palmiticacid was the dominant saturated fatty acid 12.39% - 19.2%, followed by stearic acid 0.0% - 34.52%. The results showed some relationships between the Acacia taxa with respect to fatty acid contents. Acacia seed oils showed a remarkable uniformity in terms of their higher content of oleic acid and linoleic acid. It is proposed that this can be of chemo-taxonomical interest and their quantities may indicate closer or more distant relationships between the considered taxa. The highest degree of pairing affinity was observed between A. oerfota and A. mellifera (92.58%), followed by A. oerfota and A. sieberiana (89.93%) and between A. niloticas sp. adansonia and A. sieberiana (88.54%). Hence it is suggested that A. mellifera and A. sieberiana are the most closely related, as also A. oerfota and A. senegal.