Analysis by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry of the essential oils from the aerial parts of Pimpinella anagodendron Bolle and Pimpinella rupicola Svent., two endemic species to the Canary Islands, Spain

The essential oils from the aerial parts of Pimpinella anagodendron Bolle and Pimpinella rupicola Svent., two endemic species growing in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, were studied by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The major components of the flowering tops (flowers + unripe fruits) of P. rupicola (PRFT) were found to be β-bisabolene (34.8%), limonene (10.9%) and α-zingiberene (10.5%), whereas in the flowering tops of P. anagodendron (PAFT), the main constituents were α-zingiberene (32.9%), β-bisabolene (17.9%), β-pinene (15.8%) and ar-curcumene (11.5%). The major compounds found in the stems + leaves of P. rupicola (PRSL) were β-bisabolene (31.6%), α-zingiberene (11.4%) and limonene (10.8%), whereas those of P. anagodendron (PASL) were α-zingiberene (32.3%), β-bisabolene (14.0%) and ar-curcumene (12.6%). In all the oils were found the characteristic constituents of genus Pimpinella, the pseudoisoeugenol esters. In accordance with the morphological, chorological and chemical differences between both species, we suggest that P. rupicola Svent. is a good taxon and not a synonym of P. anagodendron.