A Chemotaxonomic Evaluation ofPetroselinum crispum(Mill.) A. W. Hill (Parsley) Marketed in France

Abstract

Pentane extracts of the seeds (fruits) of 44 cultivars of parsley have been examined by gas chromatography. The curly-leaved parsley cultivars can be distinguished by their dark brown light mericarps which possess an essential oil rich in monoterpenes, particularly α-pinene (15.7–24.1%) and β-pinene (9.6–15.1%). In root parsley, only α-pinene (10.6%), β-pinene (7.1%), myristicin (2.5%) and apiole (79.8%) were found, while apiole (30.4–67.5%) is the principal constituent of Giant Italian parsley. Myristicin (0.7–62.3%) was present in all parsley specimens analyzed.