Chemical Diversity Among the Essential Oils of Natural Salvia mirzayanii (Lamiaceae) Populations from Iran

Salvia mirzayanii Rech. f. & Esfand. (Lamiaceae), with the common name of Moortalkh, is an endemic species grown in Bushehr, Khuzistan, Sistan and Baluchistan, Fars, Kerman and Hormozgan Provinces of Iran. In the present study, variation of the essential oil content and composition among seven populations of the plants collected from different natural habitats including Fars Province (Bavanat, Darab, Sarvestan and Lar) and Hormozgan Province (Tange-Zagh, Sarchahan and Sirmand) was investigated. The essential oil was first isolated by hydrodistillation and then analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS and finaly their chemical variability was determined. Results showed that maximum and minimum essential oil content (w/w%) obtained from Sirmand (2.2%) and Sarvestan (0.6%) populations, respectively. Altogether, 127 compounds were identified in the oils. Linalyl acetate, trans-sabinene hydrate, 1,8-cineole, linalool, γ-cadinene and α-terpenyl acetate were the major compounds. Cluster analysis (CA) of the essential oil components characterized five chemotypes as I) linalyl acetate,8-cineole, II) linalyl acetate阩�訥α-terpenyl acetate, III) linalyl acetate놦 hydrate, IV) linalyl aceateγ-cadinene and V) α-terpenyl acetate,8-cineole. The high chemical variation among populations according to their geographical and bioclimatic distribution could be considered for in situ and ex situ conservation and domestication of the plants.