Chemical composition of Aster albanicus Deg. (Asteraceae) essential oil: Taxonomical implications

The composition of essential oil isolated from the areal parts of Aster albanicus Deg, an endemic species of the central Balkans, was analyzed. In total, 111 compounds were identified, representing 98% of the essential oil. The essential oil was dominated by sesquiterpene (69.3%) and monoterpene hydrocarbons (15.9%), with germacrene D as the most abundant compound (34.7%). Several multivariant statistical methods (HCA, NJ, PCoA) were deployed to infer the relation between A. albanicus and other species belonging to this genus. Taxonomical implications are discussed.