Abstract
Satureja rechingeri, an endemic species from Iran, is distributed in narrow habitats in Ilam and
Khuzestan provinces. This study was conducted in 2013 and some morphological characteristics, oil
content, rosmarinic acid content and ecological features of different populations of S. rechingeri
were studied. Identified habitats of S. rechingeri are located in sub-tropical areas of Ilam and
khuzistan provinces, within 32-33◦ longitude and 46-49◦ latitude and the plant mainly grows on
calcareous rocks in the northern and southern slopes. The highest coefficient of variation among the
traits of S. rechingeri was obtained for leaf surface area (43.01%) and the lowest (9.25%) was
obtained for the diameter of the calyx. The coefficient of variation for essential oil yield was
33.71%. The lowest (2.1%) and the highest (3.51%) average essential oil yields were observed in
Kaver and Lives populations, respectively. Minimum (0.93%) and maximum (6.2%) essential oil
yields were observed among the individuals of the Lives and Kaver populations, respectively.
Highest (54.49%) coefficient of variation for rosmarinic acid content was observed in Bone Adab
population. Amount of rosmarinic acid of methanolic extract of under study populations showed
high variability and varied from 0.54 to 7.29% among individuals, while the average rosmarinic
acid in populations varied from 1.62 percent (Kaver population) to 4.14 percent (Zarrin Abad
population). Diversity of S. richingeri within populations was higher than among them showing
limited segregating of populations.
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