S. Kokkini et al., ESSENTIAL OILS OF SPEARMINT (CARVONE-RICH) PLANTS FROM THE ISLAND OF CRETE (GREECE), Biochemical systematics and ecology, 23(4), 1995, pp. 425-430
The essential oil content and composition of three spearmint taxa, Men
tha longifolia, M. spicata and M. x villoso-nervata. that have been fo
und in scattered localities along the island of Crete (Greece) are stu
died. A noticeable variation has been found in respect to their essent
ial oil yield; it ranges from 1.2 to 3.9%. The qualitative and quantit
ative analyses of their essential oils have shown that in all cases th
ey are characterised by a high quantity of carvone/dihydrocarvone as w
ell as their related alcohols and esters. The contribution. though. of
carvone and its derivatives as well as of limonene, the precursor of
p-menthane components, varies significantly in the different essential
oils both within and between the different taxa. The origin of spearm
int plants on Crete is discussed.