Article

The distribution of the Origanum taxa in Crete is presented and the essential oils of severa I populations scattered on the island are studied. The essenti al oil content varies from 0,4% in O. calcaralum and O. micraphyllum up to 7,4% in O. vulgare subsp. hirtum. The main oil components of o. calcaratum, O. onites and o. vulgare subsp. hirtum are y-terpinene, p-cymene, thymol and carvacrol while the oils of o. microphyllum are rich in trans- and cis-sabinene hydrate and terpinene-4-01. Our results are discussed in relation to their chemotaxonomic value.