AbstractThe composition of lipids extracted from a sample of millet seeds by each of 8 solvent systems is reported. Lipid components were separated by silicic acid column and thin layer chromatography (TLC) and quantitated by analysis of fatty acid methyl esters by gas liquid chromatography (GLC), with heptadecanoic acid as internal standard. Best results were obtained by extraction with hot water‐saturated butanol. Lipids extracted amounted to 7.2% of the seed dry weight and consisted of 85% neutral lipids, 12% phospholipids and 3% glycolipids. Neutral lipids contained mostly (85%) triacylglycerols and small amounts of mono‐ and diacylglycerols, sterols and free fatty acids. Sterols consisted of campesterol, stigmasterol and 2 unidentified sterols, occurring in the same proportions in free and esterified forms. Ten glycolipid and 10 phospholipid components were separated and characterized. Contrary to previously published observations, lysophosphatidylcholine was the major phospholipid (42%) in millet seeds; smaller amounts of phosphatidylcholine (24%), lysophosphatidylethanolamine (21%) and trace amounts of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol also were present. The major glycolipids were esterified sterol glycoside, sterol glycoside, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol and cerebrosides (ceramide monohexosides).