The Leaf Essential Oils and Taxonomy of<i>Juniperus centrasiatica</i>Kom.,<i>J. jarkendensis</i>Kom.,<i>J. pseudosabina</i>Fisch., Mey. &amp; Ave-Lall.,<i>J. sabina</i>L. and<i>J. turkestanica</i>Kom. from Central Asia

Abstract

Abstract The leaf essential oils of Juniperus centrasiatica Kom., J. jarkendensis Kom., J. pseudosabina Fisch., Mey. & Ave-Lall., J. sahina L., and J. turkestanica Kom. have been analyzed by GC/MS. The oils were very similar and were dominated by α-pinene, sabinene and cedrol with moderate amounts of limonene, terpinen-4-ol and elemol. On the basis of the oils and morphological observations, it is concluded that J. centrasiatica, and J. turkestanica is conspecific with J. pseudosabina. Comparisons were made with the leaf oil of a shrub form of Juniperus indica Bertol from Nepal. Juniperus indica (shrub form) from Nepal was found to be very distinct from J. centrasiatica, J. pseudosabina and J. turkestanica. In addition, J. jarkendensis oil was found to be very similar to J. sabina oil (Tian Shan Mtns. China).