Some observations on the leaf oil terpene composition of mountain hemlock, Tsugamertensiana

Abstract

The leaf oil terpene composition of mountain hemlock (sugamertensiana (Bong) Carr.) from eight central–coastal, three interior, and three southern populations was determined. High intra- but low inter-population variation was found. No significant elevational differences were recorded. Most trees from the southern populations had lower car-3-ene and higher α-pinene and β-phellandrene percentages than those from northern locations. Interior populations did not differ extensively from coastal populations. Owing to the high tree-to-tree variability, putative hybridization of mountain hemlock with western hemlock would be difficult to detect by leaf oil terpene analysis.