INVESTIGATION COLLECTION AND UTILIZATION OF CAMELLIA GERMPLASM RESOURCES IN HUNAN

Investigations have indicated that germplasm resources in Camellia are very rich. The species have increased from 29 to 52, the characteristic species increased from 4 to 12, in which 3 new taxa and 1 variety have been discovered. The characteristics of fruits, oil content of seeds, physicchemical properties of fats and oils in 41 Camellia species have been analyzed. The results have shown that the oils and fats of Camellia are very rich in content, which have good quality, pollutionless excellent storage properties as well as higher economic value both in human daily life and machinery. Docosa-enoic acid discovered in fats and oils of Camellia plants is first reported in our paper.