Volatile oils of Coridothymus capitatus, Satureja thymbra, Satureja spinosa and Thymbra calostachya (Lamiaceae) from Crete

Coridothymus capitatus , Satureja thymbra , Satureja spinosa and Thymbra calostachya are all endemic plants of the Mediterranean region, characterized by a similar ‘oregano’‐like smell. All were very rich in essential oils, yielding 2.6–8.5% v/dry weight. Their essential oils, similar to several Origanum species, contain mainly p ‐cymyl compounds. The content of p ‐cymene was 13–20% in C. capitatus , 10–12% in S. thymbra , while it was 22% in the essential oil of S. spinosa and 5% in T. calostachya . The content of γ ‐terpinene was 7–14% in C. capitatus , 25–28% in S. thymbra and 6% and 3% in S. spinosa and T. calostachya , respectively . The content of thymol was 0.4–34% in C. capitatus , 0.3–36% in S. thymbra , and <1% in S. spinosa and T. calostachya . The content of carvacrol was 5–63% in C. capitatus , 3–45% in S. thymbra , and 41% and 82% in S. spinosa and T. calostachya , respectively. These four compounds predominate in the essential oils of the above species, constituting 70–90% of the oils, and have been shown to comprise one biogenetic route. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.