%0 Journal Article
%T Chiral Chemopolymorphism in the Monoterpenes of Pistacia palaestina Leaves and Galls.
%A Bar E
%A Davidovich-Rikanati R
%A Saini S
%A Inbar M
%A Lewinsohn E
%J Chirality
%V 36
%N 8
%D 2024 Aug
%M 39138008
%F 2.183
%R 10.1002/chir.23702
%X Pistacia palaestina Boiss. is a common tree in the Mediterranean maquis. The leaves of this plant accumulate defensive monoterpenes, whose levels greatly increase in galls induced by the aphid Baizongia pistaciae. We previously found a significant chemopolymorphism in monoterpene content among individual trees, but the chirality of these monoterpenes was unknown. Although most plant species specifically accumulate one enantiomeric form of a given compound, P. palaestina individuals display chemopolymorphism in the chirality of the key monoterpenes accumulated. We report here a marked enantiomeric variation for the limonene, α- and β-pinene, camphene, sabinene, δ-3-carene, and terpene-4-ol content in leaves and galls of nine different naturally growing P. palaestina trees. Interestingly, insect-induced gall monoterpene composition is an augmentation of the specific enantiopolymorphism originally displayed by each individual tree.