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Planta Med 1979; 36(8): 350-361
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1097281
Research Articles

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Biosystematic Investigations with Acorus L. – 3. Communication1. Constituents of Essential Oils

L. C. M. Röst1 , R. Bos2
  • 1Vakgroep Systematiek en Evolutiebiologie, Laboratorium voor Experimentele Plantensystematiek, Leiden.
  • 2Vakgroep Farmacognosie, Farmaceutische Laboratoria, Groningen.
1 2. Communication: L. C. M. Röst [20].
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Publication History

Publication Date:
13 January 2009 (online)

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Biosystematic Investigations with Acorus – 4. Communication1. A Synthetic Approach to the Classification of the GenusPlanta Med 1979; 37(12): 289-307
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1097342

Abstract

Essential oils of leaf tops and rhizomes of 49 accessions of Acorus were studied by means of GLC and TLC. A. gramineus Soland. was represented by 7 samples. The other accessions represented the three cytodemes of A. calamus. Seven main oil constituents were taken into consideration during this taxonomic study. Careful investigation of a triploid specimen showed that the essential oil composition changes gradually from rhizomes to leaf tops.

The 24 accessions of triploid A. calamus showed an extraordinary small variation with regard to oil composition. On the other hand A. gramineus and tetraploid A. calamus proved to be very variable with regard to essential oil composition. In A. gramineus this variation was much more striking for the leaf top oils of the seven accessions than for their rhizome oils. Oil composition of the diploid cytodeme of A. calamus seems to be rather constant. In tetraploid A. calamus four chemotypes can be discerned within our plant material. The systematic meaning of the chemistry of Acorus oils is briefly discussed.

Key Word Index

Acorus calamus - Acorus gramineus - Araceae - Essential Oils - Methyleugenol - Geranylacetate - cis–Methylisoeugenol - β–Farnesene - Shyobunones - β–Asarone - Chemotaxonomy of Acprus - Biosystematics of Acorus