Vitamin C in Plants: ‘Nasturtium’ (Tropaeoleum majus)
Abstract
THE nasturtium, Tropœoleum majus, a native of Peru, flourishes throughout New Zealand. The leaves, which are used as a salad food, are very rich in vitamin C, the concentration ranging from 200 to 465 mgm. per 100 gm. in the samples tested. As a rule, the leaves of any particular plant show much less variation than this, although small leaves tend to have higher values than large leaves. Stalks contain 100-160 mgm. per 100 gm. and are therefore also a rich source. Little or no dehydroascorbic acid is present, although the ascorbic acid oxidase is exceedingly active in disintegrated tissues.
- Publication:
-
Nature
- Pub Date:
- June 1944
- DOI:
- 10.1038/153683b0
- Bibcode:
- 1944Natur.153..683S