## 3 Results and Discussion
### Elemental Analysis  
The results of the elemental analysis of the studied samples are presented in Table 4. The results indicated that K, Ca, Mg, and P are the predominant macroelements. The concentrations of K (2.00%), Ca (1.72%), Mg (0.38%), and P (0.25%) in EBF were significantly higher than those in EBT, which had concentrations of K (1.38%), Ca (0.57%), Mg (0.23%), and P (0.14%). Notably, the concentrations of K and P exhibited differing trends between the flower and thorn tissues in _E. planum_.  
In terms of micro-elements, the highest concentrations were detected in EBF, with the following descending order: Fe (178.1 ppm) > Mn (46.9 ppm) > Zn (18.8 ppm) > B (16.9 ppm). In EPF, the descending order was Fe (363.6 ppm) > Mn (148.9 ppm) > B (36.0 ppm) > Zn (28.5 ppm). These data show that the concentration of micro-elements in _E. planum_ is higher than that in _E. billardieri_.  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c} \hline \hline \multicolumn{1}{c}{**Fatty Acid**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{_E. billardieri_} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{_E. planum_} \\ \hline
**SFA** & **EBT** & **EBF** & **EPT** & **EPF** \\ \hline C6:0 (Caproic) & 0.52 \(\pm\) 0.06 a & 0.21 \(\pm\) 0.03 b & 0.62 \(\pm\) 0.06 a & 0.55 \(\pm\) 0.12 a \\ C8:0 (Caprylic) & 0.77 \(\pm\) 0.07 a & 0.4 \(\pm\) 0.15 b & 1.09 \(\pm\) 0.12 a & 1.00 \(\pm\) 0.17 a \\ C12:0 (Lauric) & 0.89 \(\pm\) 0.42 a & 0.49 \(\pm\) 0.13 a & 0.23 \(\pm\) 0.15 a & tr \\ C14:0 (Myristic) & 1.35 \(\pm\) 0.26 a & 1.09 \(\pm\) 0.17 ab & 0.44 \(\pm\) 0.06 c & 0.82 \(\pm\) 0.11 bc \\ C15:0 (Pentadecanoic) & 1.41 \(\pm\) 0.27 a & 0.93 \(\pm\) 0.04 b & 0.80 \(\pm\) 0.09 b & 0.57 \(\pm\) 0.15 b \\ C16:0 (Palmitic) & 39.64 \(\pm\) 2.62 a & 36.19 \(\pm\) 1.03 ab & 33.36 \(\pm\) 1.47 b & 34.01 \(\pm\) 0.20 b \\ C17:0 (Heptadecanoic) & 1.06 \(\pm\) 0.19 a & 0.62 \(\pm\) 0.14 b & 0.76 \(\pm\) 0.15 ab & 0.50 \(\pm\) 0.03 b \\ C18:0 (Stearic) & 7.32 \(\pm\) 0.90 a & 4.96 \(\pm\) 0.79 b & 2.86 \(\pm\) 0.39 c & 3.09 \(\pm\) 0.25 c \\ C20:0 (Arachidic) & tr & 0.84 \(\pm\) 0.11 ab & 0.62 \(\pm\) 0.12 b & 0.98 \(\pm\) 0.12 a \\ C21:0 (Heneicosanoic) & tr & tr & tr & 0.17 \(\pm\) 0.05 \\ C22:0 (Behenic) & 1.20 \(\pm\) 0.03 a & 1.43 \(\pm\) 0.36 a & 1.61 \(\pm\) 0.04 a & 1.57 \(\pm\) 0.06 a \\ C23:0 (Tricosanoic) & tr & 0.55 \(\pm\) 0.49 a & 1.25 \(\pm\) 0.24 a & 0.99 \(\pm\) 0.25 a \\ C24:0 (Lignoerc) & 2.57 \(\pm\) 0.88 ab & 2.97 \(\pm\) 0.51 ab & 4.56 \(\pm\) 0.60 a & 2.33 \(\pm\) 1.10 b \\ MUFA & & & & \\ C18:1 \(\copy\)/C18:1 n9 (Oleic) & 16.55 \(\pm\) 3.02 a & 20.70 \(\pm\) 0.68 a & 7.47 \(\pm\) 0.86 b & 9.32 \(\pm\) 0.40 b \\ n-6 PUFA & & & & \\ C18:2 n6 c (Linoleic) & 17.09 \(\pm\) 1.45 c & 22.22 \(\pm\) 0.08 b & 35.43 \(\pm\) 0.72 a & 35.79 \(\pm\) 0.79 a \\ n-3 PUFA & & & & \\ C18:3 n3 (\(\alpha\)-Linolenic) & 5.98 \(\pm\) 0.93 b & 5.70 \(\pm\) 0.36 b & 8.63 \(\pm\) 0.17 a & 7.94 \(\pm\) 0.15 a \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}  
* Values are mean \(\pm\) standard deviation (n = 3). Different lowercase letters in the same row are significantly different (\(p\) < 0.05); EBF: _E. billardieri_ flowers; EBT: _E. billardieri_ thorrs; EPF: _E. planum_ flowers; EPF: _E. planum_ thorrs; SFA: Saturated fatty acids; MUFA: Monousaturated fatty acids; n-3 PUFA: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; n-6 PUFA: Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. tr: trace amounts detected.  
\end{table}
Table 3: Fatty acids profile of the studied plants (%) *.