Composition of the Essential Oil of Lavandula pinnata L. fil. var. pinnata Grown on Madeira

The composition of the essential oils from different aerial parts of Lavandula pinnata L. fil. var. pinnata was analysed by GC and GC-MS. The oils were isolated separately from flowering tops, and from leaves and stems collected during the flowering period and the vegetative phase of the plant. The three oil samples consisted mainly of monoterpene hydrocarbons (37-80%), whereas oxygen-containing monoterpenes were hardly present (2-4%). P-Phellandrene (12-32%) was the main component of the oils analysed, and alpha-phellandrene (6-16%) the second most important monoterpene. The sesquiterpene fraction of the oils (13-22%) was also characterized by hydrocarbons of which beta-caryophyllene (11% of each oil) formed the major part. Phenylacetaldehyde amounted to 6-9% of the leaf oils. Common major components of lavender oils were not found in the oils or were present in very small amounts only.