Variability in essential oil of Ducrosia anethifolia (DC.) Boiss. growing wild in Fars province, Iran

Ducrosia anethifolia (DC.) Boiss. a traditional and popular herb grows wildly in several areas of Iran. The aerial parts, including flowers, were collected from D. anethifolia plant populations (Shiraz (1-2), Kazeroun, Noorabad, Farashband, Firoozabad, Ghir, Jahrom (1-2) and Darab) growing wild in Fars province, located in southwestern Iran. The essential oils (EOs) were subjected to hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus.The essential oil yields ranged from 0.17 % to 0.93 % (w/w). Analysis of variance showed that geographic distinction had a significantly effect on the EO content in plants of different regions. Two populations, Jahrom 2 and Shiraz 2 engrossed the maximum EO yield. Seventy-five volatile compounds were identified by GC and GC–MS analysis. The main EO components were n-Decanal (1.493–45.062 %), Dodecanal (1.093–34.744 %), cis-Chrysanthenyl acetate (0–26.609 %), α-Pinene (0–16.539 %), n-Decanol (1.285–49.225 %), (2E)-Dodecenal (0.879–16.856 %), Decanoic acid (0–12.626 %), n-Nonanal (0.401–6.711 %), and Caryophyllene oxide (0.113–5.873 %). Analysis of the principal components based on the mean relative amounts of EO components led to the identification of four chemotypes: n-Decanal, Dodecanal, cis-Chrysanthenyl acetate, n-Decanol of which the n-Decanal chemotype is found more normally in different parts of Iran