Essential oils or Volatile oils or Ethereal
These are volatile oils which are extracted from plant tissues by steam distillation through they are harvested by pressure or solvent extraction. They remain liquid at ambient temperatures and are immiscible with water but soluble in organic solvents. They are produced in specialized structures (oil glands). In some plants; special glands or cells are present called osmophores, in the floral parts to release essential oils.
The constituents of essential oils are terpenoids, the mono-, hemi-,sesqui and diterpenes, but they have may also contain alphatic and aromatic esters, phenolic compounds and substituted benzene hydrocarbons.
Lists of Essential oils
- Camphor oil
- Ylang-Ylang oil
- Citrus oil
- Lemon oil
- Cyperus oil
- Neroli oil
- Dill oil
- Eucalyptus oil from Eucalyptus citriodora
- Jasmine oil
- Lavender oil
- Lemon grass oil (Citral) from Cymbopogon flexuosus
- Mint oil from Mentha arvensis
- Rose oil
- Sandalwood oil from Santalum album
- Saffron oil from Crocus sativus
- Sal Resin oil or Chua oil
- Vetiver oil from Vetiveria zizanioides (Khus-Khus)
- Turpentine oil
Spice oils: Clove oil, Oleoresin, Pepper oil, Cardamom oil, Nutmeg oil