Leaf Essential Oils of Lunasia amara var. amara and Sarcomelicope simplicifolia subsp. simplicifolia (Rutaceae) from Australia

Abstract

Lunasia amara Blanco var. amara possessed a leaf oil in 0.1 0.15% yield, in which the principal sesquiterpenes were γ-elemene (0.7–19%), germacrene-D (18–51%) and bicyclogermacrene (7–26%). There were lesser amounts of bicycloelemene (1–2%), β-bourbonene (0.7–3%), β-elemene (4–9%), α-farnesene (1–3%) and δ-cadinene (3–5%). Sarcomelicope simplicifolia subsp. simplicifolia(Endl.) T.G. Hartley produced a leaf oil, in 0.03–0.1% yield, in which the major compounds were β-caryophyllene (14–22%) and bicyclogermacrene (10–42%). These two sesquiterpenes were accompanied by lesser amounts of α-copaene (1–8%), β-elemene (1–3%), α-humulene (1–4%), δ-cadinene (1–7%), δ-elemene (0.2–2%) and spathulenol (1–5%).

Key Word Index:

• Lunasia amara var. amara
• Sarcomelicope simplicifolia subsp. simplicifolia
• Rutaceae
• essential oil composition
• germacrene-D
• bicycloelemene
• β-caryophyllene
• bicyclogermacrene.