ANALYSES OF THE VOLATILE LEAF OILS OF JUNIPERUS-DEPPEANA AND ITS INFRASPECIFIC TAXA - CHEMOSYSTEMATIC IMPLICATIONS

Eight OTU [operational taxonomic units] of J. deppeana were collected and their volatile leaf oils analyzed by GC/GCMS [gas chromatography, gas chromatography mass spectroscopy]. The volatile oils are dominated by oxygenated terpenes such as camphor, linalool, cis-verbenol, 4-terpineol, verbenone, borneol and trans-sabinene hydrate. The major monoterpene found was .alpha.-pinene. Sesquiterpenoids were minor components of the volatile leaf oils. The six named taxa were only distinguished by combinations of terpenoid characters. The differentiation of the Arizona J. deppeana (var. pachyphlaea ?) and J. deppeana sperryi from the other taxa in Mexico was the major subdivision found. J. deppeana f. sperryi was clearly distinguished as were J. deppeana var. robusta and J. deppeana var. patoniana.