THE CONTENT OF ESSENTIAL OIL OF THYMUS TOSEVII VEL. SUBSP. TOSEVII VAR. DEGENII (LAMIACEAE) PLANTS ORIGINATING FROM PELISTER, BITOLA, MACEDONIA

Lamiaceae (syn. Labiatae) herb family consists of more than 252 genera and 7000 species. Among the aromatic plants belonging to the family Lamiaceae, the genus Thymus is noteworthy for the numerous species and varieties of wild-growing plants. Many of these species are typical for the Mediterranean area. The genus Thymus has numerous species and varieties, and their essential oil composition has been studied earlier. The objective of this study was to determine the content and hydrodistillation kinetic of Thymus tosevii Vel. subsp. tosevii var. degenii essential oil which is endemic species of Pelister, Baba Mountain (Bitola, Macedonia) using the Unger-type apparatus. It was also investigated how the raw plant material affect duration of hydro-distillation and the final yield of the essential oil in order to improve the essential oil production process. Essential oil production and its composition in plants is mainly affected by the combined influences of both genetic factors and cultivation conditions such as climate, plant density and extraction technique.