Species of hawthorn
Crataegus × sinaica is a hawthorn that originated as a hybrid between two other hawthorn species, C. azarolus in series Orientales and C. monogyna in series Crataegus. It has been placed in the nothosection Orientaegus.[1] It grows in the central and eastern parts of the Mediterranean region on rocky mountain slopes.[1] In Egypt it grows in the mountains near Saint Catherine in South Sinai, where it is known as za'rur or za'rur al-awdiyah.[2]
Chemistry
Gas-liquid chromatography of lipoidal matter of the seeds of C. sinaica indicated that the seeds consist mainly of a mixture of a series of n-alkanes (75.75%). Sterols only represent 7.17% of the total unsaponifiable fraction. Analysis of the fatty acids from C. sinaica as methyl esters showed that the oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids (86.86%). The major fatty acid is linolenic acid (C18:3) representing 38.43% of the total fatty acids mixture, followed by oleic acid (C18:1) 27.53%, and linoleic acid (C18:2) 20.89%. In addition, the results revealed the presence of stearic acid (3.69%) and palmitic acid (9.45%).[3]
References
- ^ a b Christensen, K.I. (1992). Revision of Crataegus sect. Crataegus and nothosect. Crataeguineae (Rosaceae-Maloideae) in the Old World. Systematic Botany Monographs. 35: 1–199.
- ^ Täckholm, V. (1974). Students' Flora of Egypt, Published by Cairo University.
- ^ Refaat A. et al. (2008). Phytochemical and Biological Investigations of Crataegus sinaica Boiss. (Rosaceae). Master thesis, Cairo University, p.108. Egypt.
