Most volatile oil-bearing plants are found in the tropical world and cannot be easily grown in other geoclimatic regions. Whereas the commercially important volatile oil-bearing plants of the temperate and subtropical regions can easily be grown in the tropics.
Essential oil-bearing plants are spread over a wide range of families of both Angiosperms and Gymnosperms. A few families to which most of the commercially important aromatic plants belong are listed below:
- Pinaceae (from which turpentine oil, the world’s largest essential oil in terms of volume produced, is obtained)
- Cupressaceae (cedarwood)
Angiosperms – Monocots
- Gramineae (lemongrass, citronella, vetiver)
- Zingiberaceae (ginger, turmeric, cardamom)
Angiosperms – Dicots
- Compositae (chamomile, davana, tarragon),
- Geraniaceae (geranium),
- Labiatae (mint, lavender, thyme, basil)
- Lauraceae (bay, cinnamon, camphor, Litsea)
- Myristicaceae (nutmeg, mace)
- Myrtaceae (eucalyptus, clove)
- Oleaceae (jasmine, lilac)
- Piperaceae (pepper)
- Rosaceae (rose)
- Rutaceae (citrus)
- Santalaceae (sandalwood)
- Umbelliferae (coriander, cumin, parsley)
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