Exploring Sicilian accession of Daucus muricatus (L.) L.: chemical composition of flower and root’s essential oils

Daucus L. (Apiaceae) is a genus distributed worldwide, with the Mediterranean area serving as the centre of its diversity. Daucus muricatus (L.) L. is an annual plant growing primarily in the temperate biome. For the first time, in this research the chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) from flowers and roots of a Sicilian accession of this plant, was evaluated by GC–MS. An update of all the EOs of the Daucus species was carried out and compared to these data the volatile profile of the EO obtained from the Sicilian accessions of D. muricatus is rather particular. Flower and root EOs (Dmf and Dmr, respectively) showed alkanes as the main class, accounting for 27.2% and 60.0%, respectively. Both EOs were also characterised by the presence of alloaromadendrene oxide (15.6% in Dmr and 11.5% in Dmf). Dmf also showed a good amount of sabinene (11.6%), which is totally absent in Dmr.