Study of the essential oil composition of two subspecies of Abies cilicica (Ant. et Kotschy) Carr. from Turkey

Abstract

The essential oil composition of two subspecies of Abies cilicica (taurus fir) from southern Turkey was investigated. CC-MS analysis of the oils of subsp. cilicica and subsp. isaurica from young shoots showed some qualitative and quantitative variations. Fifty-seven components were characterized in the oil of subsp. cilicica, with car-3-ene (14.2%), caryophyllene oxide (8.6%) and beta-caryophyllene (7.8%) as the major constituents. In the oil of subsp. isaurica, however, the major components among the 23 constituents identified were beta-pinene (29%), alpha-pinene (10%), eremophilene (9.3%) and beta-caryophyllene (8.8%). Morphological and chemical features of the two subspecies are discussed from a chemotaxonomic point of view. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.