Geographical and environment-related variations of essential oils in isolated populations of Thymus richardii Pers. in the Mediterranean basin

Abstract

Composition of essential oils of different populations of Thymus richardii grex of six localities from Bosnia-Herzegovina (Konjic, Borci), Spain (Majorca, Ibiza, Valencia) and Italy (Marettimo, Sicily) were determined by GC/FID and GC/MS. The main constituents in most of the samples were aromatic monoterpenes corresponding to non-phenolic cyclic compounds (p-cymene, gamma-terpinene). The highest monoterpene concentrations were found in the Bosnian samples (70%), and the lowest in samples from the Balearic Islands (<30%; Ibiza and Majorca). Sesquiterpenes were the major component (average > 50%) in samples from Majorca with beta-bisabolene (>40%) being the principal constituent. Discriminant analysis (LDA) shows the differentiation of two chemotypes: A (phenol chemotype), with p-cymene and gamma-terpinene as characteristic compounds and B, with beta-bisabolene and carvacrol, as major and significative compounds. The occurrence of the chemotypes was related to summer positive precipitation and to deep of soils.