A Study of the Mediterranean Oregano Populations. Chemical Composition of Essential Oils of Origanum ehrenbergii Boiss. from Two Populations in Lebanon

Abstract Seedlings obtained from seeds of three populations of oregano (Origanum ehrenbergii) harvested in Lebanon and sown at a research station in France were planted in three replicates in a Fischer block design. Oils produced by water distillation were subjected to analysis by GC and GC/MS. The oils of one of the populations were uniform and carvacrol-rich. The other population displayed a variable chemical composition, including thymol, thymol-carvacrol and p-cymene/γ-terpinene chemotypes.