Membrane-forming lipids of wild halophytes growing under the conditions of Prieltonie of South Russia.

ABSTRACT

The composition of membrane-forming lipids has been examined for 10 wild halophyte species growing in southern Russian on alkaline soil. The plants belong to seven taxa of family rank by their life form, which are semi-shrubs, herbaceous annuals, and perennial plants; their salt tolerance, which are classified as the euhalophytes, crynohalophytes, and glycohalophytes; and by their sensitivity to water, classifications of mesoxerophytes and xeromesophytes. Parallels have been found between the lipid composition and the ecological status of the plants. It has also been revealed that the similarity in the glyco- and phospholipid composition of different plant groups relates to the water factor and the type of salt accumulation, respectively. The fatty acid compositions of the examined plants is determined at the species level.