Population variability in Thymus glabrescens Willd. from Serbia: Morphology, anatomy and essential oil composition

Abstract

In five indigenous populations of Thymus glabrescens Willd. collected in the region of Banat (Serbia), the variability on leaf morphological traits, leaf and stem anatomy, and composition of the essential oil was studied. The major component in the studied populations was either thymol or γ-terpinene. Distinct differentiation of populations with respect to chemical composition of essential oils might be related to spatial distribution of the studied populations. No correlations between morphology, anatomy, and essential oil yield and composition were determined. Both capitate and peltate glandular trichomes were found on calyces, whereas the latter were noticed on the abaxial and adaxial leaf surface.

Keywords

• Thymus glabrescens
• essential oils
• thymol
• γ-terpinene
• glandular trichomes
• cluster analysis