Eriocephalus africanus

Taxobox
name = Cape snow bush
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Asterales
familia = Asteraceae
genus = "Eriocephalus"
species = "Eriocephalus africanus"
binomial = "Eriocephalus africanus"

Also known as the "Cape Snow Bush", "Eriocephalus africanus" is a wild, bushy evergreen shrub although called by the common name "African rosemary" is not related to the common Mediterranean rosemary. In South Africa, "E. africanus" is a fragrant and medicinal plant having a wide distribution in the Western and Eastern Cape, and in Namaqualand. "E. africanus" has silver foliage, with brown and pale yellow inflorescences in corymbs. Essential oil derived from "E. africanus" is used as an ingredient in medicinal and perfume products.

Essential oil

Essential oil extracts of "E. africanus" are prepared by steam distillation, and contain the following primary aroma components:

* linalyl acetate 18.0%
* 1,8-cineole 4.3%
* para-cymene 3.5%
* camphene 2.8%
* linalool 2.5%
* camphor 2.4%
* sabinene 2.3%
* α-copaene 1.8%
* limonene 1.1%
* geranyl acetate 0.9%
* terpinen-4-ol 0.9%
* α-pinene 0.8%
* valencene 0.8%
* β-pinene 0.7%
* α-terpineol 0.6%
* β-caryophyllene 0.5%
* myrcene 0.2%