Essential-oil diversity of three Calamintha species from Greece.

The aim of the present study was to contribute to the knowledge of the essential-oil composition of the Calamintha officinalis-nepeta complex in Greece and to clarify the main patterns of its variation. The oils obtained from 22 wild-growing populations of C. glandulosa, C. nepeta, and C. menthifolia were studied. They could be classified into two different chemotypes, which correspond to the main biosynthetic routes of the C(3)-oxygenated p-menthane compounds. Chemotype I includes oils rich in trans-piperitone oxide, cis-piperitone oxide, and piperitenone oxide, while Chemotype II comprises oils rich in pulegone and menthone or menthone and isomenthone. Within both chemotypes, quantitative fluctuations of the main components were observed. Comparison with published data showed that the presence of Chemotype II has not been observed before in C. menthifolia, while Chemotype I has been reported in C. nepeta plants from Greece for the first time.

Essential oil content and composition, nutrient and mycorrhizal status of some aromatic and medicinal plants of northern Greece.

A field survey was conducted in three northern Greek mountain areas (Chortiatis, Ossa, and Pieria) to investigate the mycorrhizal and nutritional status, and the essential oil content and composition of common medicinal and aromatic plants. A range of values for nutrient status and essential oil contents and composition was established. All plants were found to be mycorrhizal, including Achillea coarctata Poir., Micromeria juliana (L.) Bentham ex Reichenb., and Salvia sclarea L.;. these three are reported as being mycorrhizal for the first time. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal root colonization was highest in Pieria, exceeding 80% for all 15 plants sampled, and lower in Chortiatis and Ossa.