Volatile constituents of the essential oils of the seeds and the herb of palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii (Roxb.) Wats. var.motia Burk.)

The essential oil of palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii (Roxb.) Wats. var. motia Burk.) seeds collected from three different geographical locations in India was analysed by capillary GC and GC–MS. The composition of the oil samples was compared with that of the oil of flowering palmarosa herb. Besides the main constituent, geraniol (74.5–81.8%), 55 other constituents, including those present in trace amounts, were identified in the seed essential oil. Although the composition of the seed oils is similar to that of the herb oil, quantitative differences in the concentration of some constituents were observed. The seed oil was found to contain lower amounts of geranyl acetate and higher amounts of (E, Z)-farnesol than the herb oil.