Leaf Essential Oils from Philotheca Species (Rutaceae) in Queensland and Northern New South Wales

The leaf oils of the species of Philotheca growing in Queensland and northern New South Wales have been examined by combined GC and GC/MS. Philotheca cuticularis, both subspecies of P. difformis, P. glasshousiensis, P. myoporoides subsp. myoporoides, P. epilosa, P. obovata, P. queenslandica and P. sporadica all produced leaf oils in which the major component (>75%) was alpha-pinene. In P. acrolopha, the major components were alpha-pinene (34-42%) and beta-caryophyllene (12-22%), while in P. ciliata the principal components were alpha-pinene (48-54%) and camphor (18-25%). In P. ericifolia the major components were alpha-pinene (16-25%), myrcene (7-10%), (E)-beta-ocimene (18-34%) and the sesquiterpene spathulenol (13-21%). Pilotheca conduplicata produced a monoterpenic oil in which the main components were alpha-pinene (27.2%), limonene (43.8%) and (E)-beta-ocimene (18.3%). In Philotheca papillata alpha-pinene (43.0%), camphene (9.3%) and elemol (8.8%) were the principal components of the leaf oil. The leaf oil of P. salsolifolia subsp. salsolifolia contained alpha-pinene (31.9%) and spathulenol (18.1%) as its major components, while in P. salsolifolia subsp. pedicellata sabinene (38%) and bicyclogermacrene (15.2%) were the major components.