Abstract
The essential oil, isolated from the flowering tops of the Tuscan endemic Artemisia coerulescens L. subsp. cretacea (Fiori) Br.-Catt. et Gubell. by hydrodistillation, was investigated by GC/MS. Fifty compounds were identified, constituting altogether 88.6% of total composition; the presence of 25 compounds in A. coerulescensssp. cretacea oil is reported for the first time. The main components of the oil were αthujone (19–0%), β-thujone (7.7%), camphor (10.4%) and borneol (11.5%). If the oil content is compared with those of other Artemisia species, A. coerulescens ssp. cretacea was found to be extremely rich in oil.