The chemistry of the Australian Gymnosperms -: Part 4:: the leaf oils of the genus Athrotaxis D. Don (Cupressaceae)

The oils of Athrotaxis cupressoides, A. selaginoides and A laxifolia were analyzed by a combination of GC and GC/MS. A. cupressoides gave a leaf oil in which the principal components were limonene (46-56%), spathulenol (3-10%), alpha-acorenol (8-13%) and 8-beta-hydroxyisopimarene (2-24%). The principal components in the leaf oil of A. selaginoides were limonene (40-48%), spathulenol (4-11%) and alpha-bisabolol (6-14%), rimuene (0.8-7%) and 8-beta-hydroxyisopimarene (11-29%). A. laxifolia, which is now regarded as a hybrid of the two above species, produced an oil that contained the significant components of the two putative parents, including limonene (34-58%), spathulenol (4-10%), alpha-acorenol (7-18%), beta-acorenol (0.1-0.5%), alpha-bisabolol (0.6-4%), rimuene (1-4%) and 8-beta-hydroxyisopimarene (2-18%).