We detected the chemical composition of volatiles in 25 leaf samples of 5 chemotypes of Cinnamomum camphora by static headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Multivariate analysis, including principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), and linear discriminant analysis (DA), was used to reveal the relationship of chemical composition of volatiles in the 25 samples. We found 8 compounds in all samples: β-linalool, camphene, β-guaiene, γ-terpinene, α-thujene, 2-ethylfuran,

more »

... aryophyllene and D-germacrene. The leaves of 5 chemotypes significantly differed in chemical composition and content of volatiles. The mean number of detected compounds was 52 (isoborneol-type), 40 (camphora-type), 37 (cineole-type), 34 (linalool-type) and 33 (borneol-type). Three principal components were formed, and their total accounted for 86.4% of the total variation. The results of CA and DA analyses showed that 12 volatiles are important discriminating variables to identify 5 chemotypes of C. camphora leaves. The accuracy rate of CA and DA analyses was 96% and 100%, respectively. These 12 volatile compounds can be used to classify chemotypes of C. camphora.