198 A. R. PENFOLD, 
teristic odour of bananas. Very often on crushing the 
leaves in the field the first odour detected is that of bananas. 
The principal constituents, so far identified, have been 
found to be the olefinic terpene, ocimene, occurring to the 
extent of up to 80%, d« pinene and sesquiterpene, together 
with the minor constituents mentioned above. 
This is the first recorded occurrence of the presence of 
ocimene in an Australian essential oil, and so far as the 
writer is aware, is most probably now its richest source. 
The oil and ocimene content of the plant varies during the 
year reaching its apparent maximum about October to 
November. The plant appears to be affected by conditions. 
of environment, as even in a comparatively dry district 
like Narrabri the plant appeared to be more luxuriant in one 
forest than in another. The writer feels confident that if 
grown ina district of rich soil, well supplied with moisture 
both the oil content and ocimene could be considerably 
augmented. 
Experimental. 
3565 Ibs. of leaves and terminal branchlets from Narrabri, 
New South Wales, yielded on distillation with steam, the 
following crude oils, possessing the chemical and physical 
constants shown in table:— 


; specific . 
| Weight of | Percentage : Optical 
Leaves. | Yield of Oil | GV Gt | Rotation. 
26/9/21 | Narrabri | 972 1bs.| 0°48% | 0-8429 | —1-75 
| | 
18/10/21 ditto 140 tbs. 0°82% 0:8206 | +1-°5° 
Date. | Locality. 












24/8/22 ditto | 119 ibs. | 0:35% | 08327 | +2° 
Refractive Solubility in 80% alcohol Sap. No. Hot, Sap. No. hot, 14 hrs. 
Index, 20°C. (by Weight). 1} hours, | after acetylation. 
14836 | insoluble in 10 vols. 45:87 85-43 
1:4873 | ditto 9°46 51 
1-4861 | ditto 8:05 69°66 

(The saponification numbers both before and after acetylation 
of the first distillation are quite abnormal, and not entirely due to- 
the presence of actual ester and alcohol, but to some resinous. 

