The essential oils of Syzygium aromaticum were isolated from its buds and leaves by hydrodistillation. The oils were analyzed by high resolution GC and GC-MS. Twenty-eight and 35 constituents representing 99.9% each were identified from the bud oils of Indian and Madagascan origins, respectively. On the other hand leaf oil from Madagascar resulted in the identification of 22 constituents representing 99.9% of the oil. The major constituents in bud and leaf oils were eugenol and β β β β β-caryophyllene.

The cloves are grown as plantation crops in the agroclimatic conditions of the Indian island of Little Andaman. The dried leaves, on hydrodistillation, gave 4.8% of the oil. GC and GC-MS analysis of the oil resulted in the identification of 16 compounds. The major compound was eugenol (94.4%) followed byˇ-caryophyllene (2.9%). The clove oil from Little Andaman was found to be comparable with the best oil produced in south India in terms of its eugenol content. It is suggested that clove can be grown as an economically viable crop in the Andaman, Nicobar and Lakshdeep islands.

The essential oil composition of four genetically diverse stocks of Murraya koenigii leaves cultivated at the CIMAP Research Farm, Lucknow, were analysed by GC and GC-MS. The oil from the stock of the northern Indian plains, Lucknow, showedˇ-pinene (70.0%),ˇ-caryophyllene (6.5%) and˛-pinene (5.4%) as the major constituents, while the oil from the stock of the lower Himalayan range, Pant Nagar, showed˛-pinene (65.7%), -pinene (13.4%) andˇ-phellandrene (7.4%) as the major constituents. In contrast to the above, the oil from the stock of southern India, Kozhikode, showedˇ-caryophyllene (53.9%), aromadendrene (10.7%) and˛-selinene (6.3%) as the major constituents. On the other hand, the oil from the stock of eastern India, Bhubaneshwar, showeď -phellandrene (30.2%),ˇ-caryophyllene (24.2%),˛-pinene (15.0%), (E)-ˇ-ocimene (5.0%) and aromadendrene (4.5%) as the major constituents. The GC-MS analysis of the stock oil samples from the northern Indian plains, lower Himalayan range, southern and eastern India resulted in the identification of 65, 56, 57 and 66, constituents, representing 99.2%, 98.8%, 87.4% and 98.2% of the oils, respectively.

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The leaf oil of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume grown in Little Andaman was analysed by GC and GC-MS. Forty-seven constituents, representing 99.96% of the oil, were identified. The main constituents of the oil were eugenol (76.60%), linalool (8.5%) and piperitone (3.31%). The composition of the oil is comparable to cinnamon leaf oil produced in Bangalore and Hyderabad (south India) in terms of eugenol and linalool contents.

The leaves of Callistemon viminalis, on hydrodistillation, gave 0.45% of an oil on a fresh weight basis. GC and GC-MS analysis of the oil resulted in the identification of 42 constituents, representing 99.5% of the oil. 1,8-Cineole (61.7%), α-pinene (24.2%) and menthyl acetate (5.3%) were the major components.

The aerial parts from the flowering plants of Achillea millefolium L., on hydrodistillation gave 0.014% (v/w) of an oil on fresh weight basis. GC and GC-MS analysis of the oil resulted in the identification of 86 constituents, representing 97% of the oil. Camphor (28%), 1,8-cineole (12%), germacrene-D (12%) and cischrysanthenyl acetate (8%) were the major components. Further comparison of our results with those mentioned in the literature suggests that A. millefolium oils vary greatly along the species range.

The leaves of Indian yew Taxus wallichiana, growing in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir, on hydrodistillation, gave 0.025% oil on a fresh weight basis. GC and GC-MS analysis of the oil resulted in the identification of 62 constituents, representing 93.3% of the oil. The main constituents identified in the leaf oil were (E)-2-octen-1-ol (14.5%), n-pentacosane (8.1%), caryophyllene oxide (7.1%), 1-octanol (6.5%), hexanoic acid (5.5%) and (Z)-3-hexenol (4.1%).