Abstract
Fruits of 22 species from 7 genera of Drude's tribe Laserpitieae were surveyed for essential oil components. The detection of perillal only in the monotypic genus Laser of Drude's subtribe Silerinae, and in Laserpitium siler, would support any proposals that the latter species deserves separate generic rank. Myrcene or α-pinene are the main components of the monogeneric Elaeoselinae, with restricted occurrence of p-cymene and substituted allylbenzenes. No one essential oil component characterises the genera of the Thapsiineae. The results suggest that the following sequence of genera is possible, with abandonment of Drude's three subtribes: Laser, Laserpitium, Tornabenia, Guillonea, Elaeoselinum, Thapsia, Melanoselinum. Chemical races of Laserpitium latifolium and Thapsia villosa were observed.
