Abstract: Taking the cultivars Nanyou 1, 2, and 3 of barbadosnut (Jatropha curcas L.) with different genotypes that can grow and seed normally at the inshore land in Hainan as test materials, the characters of their seeds and the physicochemical characteristics of their seed oils were analyzed and compared. No significant differences were observed in the seed length, width, thickness, and surface area among the cultivars, but Nanyou 2 had greater 1000 seed mass and lower unsound kernel percentage than Nanyou 1 and Nanyou 3, suggesting that the seed satiation of Nanyou 2 was good and the fecundity was excellent. The kernel oil content of Nanyou 3 was significantly higher than that of Nanyou 1 and Nanyou 2, and there was no significant difference between Nanyou 1 and Nanyou 2. The seed oil peroxide value, refractive index, and saponification value of the three cultivars had no significant differences, but the acid value for Nanyou 2 was much lower than that for Nanyou 1 and Nanyou 3. The seed oil iodine value of the three cultivars was all below 100, and was significantly lower for Nanyou 2 than for Nanyou 1 and Nanyou 3. The fatty acids in the three cultivars seed oils were mainly oleic acid, palm itic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid, and margaric acid, and dominated by unsaturated fatty acids. The contents of saturated fatty acids in Nanyou 2 seed oil were relatively higher than those in Nanyou 1 and Nanyou 3 seed oils, indicating that comparing with Nanyou 1, cultivars Nanyou 2 and Nanyou 3 had relatively good potential for application.

Key words: Jatropha curcas L, physicochemical characteristics, fatty acid, biodiesel oil, the least cost path method, species distribution models, GIS, phylogeography, Quaternary, Pedicularis longiflora.