Botanical Name - Eucalyptus citriodora/Corymbia citriodora Category - Aromatic/Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Leaves General Information - "The name Eucalyptus was coined by L. Fleritier, a French B otanist in tlie year 1789. Eucalyptus is formed by eu means well and kalyptus meaning/ cover ; thus referring to the lid of operculum which seals the flower till it blooms. Eucalyptus was first introduced to India in the Naiidi hills of Karnataka by Tippu Sultan between 1782 to 1790. Later in 1843 its plantation was extended to the Nilgiri hills in southern India. Nearly 170 species have been tried in India out of which only five species, viz. E. tereticornis, E. ccmaldensis, E. grandis, E. citriodom , and E. globulus have received wide acceptance, E, citriodom is among the economically important species of eucalyptus available worldwide. Its main utility is in the perfume industry due to it's highest citronellal content (>70 % ). The wood o f the plant is also an important timber and firewood. Phytochemicals - "The essentia! oil o f Eucalyptus is obtained by hydrodistillation o f the fresh leaves. It is colourless or pale-yellow liquid. It has an arom atic and cam phoraceous odour: a pungent, cam phoraceous taste followed by a sensation of cold. T he yield o f oil varies from species to species, place to place and w ith the season. Eucalyptus oil can be classified under three m ain categories depending on the principal constituents present, viz: - 1) Medicinal oils or Cineol containing oils. 2) Perfum ery oils or Citronellal containing oils. 3 ) industrial oils or Phellandrene containing oils. The leaves o f E.cilriodora yield an essential oil (0.5-2.0) containing citronellal (65-80% ), citronellol (15-20 % ) and esters (W ealth o f India, 1952). O ils poor in citronellal are reported to contain guaicol. The Kino obtained from E. cilriodora contains 4H.2 % tannin. The chem ical com position o f the essential oils obtained from the leaves o f 12 species of eucalyptus including E. citiodora growing in Eithiopia were exam ined by capillaryGC and CjC-MS. The oil o f Cilriodora was found to l->e rich in citronellal (73.3 %), and citronellol (16.2 %). "