Moroccan Chamomile Oil

#### Chamomile Oil, Moroccan. Related to "German chamomile" botanically but not at all resembling this plant, is **Ormenis**** ****Multicaulis**, a good-looking plant, 90 to 125 cms. high, with very hairy leaves and tubular * (Suggested use level is 0.50 to 2.00 mg% and the **Minimum**** ****Perceptible**** **is about 0.10 to 0.20 mg%.) yellow flowers, surrounded by white ligulets, the typical construction of a composite species. The plant is probably a native of northwest Africa, and evolved from a very common **Ormenis**** **species which grows all over the Mediterranean countries. Distillation is carried out locally where the plant is most common, i.e. in the northwestern parts of Morocco. The flowering tops, harvested at the beginning of the inflorescence, are steam distilled. The oil of **Ormenis**** ****Multicaulis**** **is a pale yellow to brownish yellow, mobile liquid. It seems that light-colored oils are obtained at the beginning of the inflorescence (better perfume oils), and darker oils come in poorer yields at the end of the inflorescence. The odor of the pale oils is fresh-herbaceous, slightly camphoraceous, but soon changes into a sweet, cistus-like and richbalsamic undertone which is very tenacious and pleasant, almost ambra-like. **Moroccan Chamomile Oil **blends well with artemisia oils, cypress oil, labdanum products, lavandin and lavender, vetiver oil or derivatives of cedarwood oils, oakmoss products, olibanum, etc. Chemically and olfactorily, the oil is distinctly different from the "German" or the "Roman" chamomile oils, and cannot be considered as a replacement for them. Ormenis multicaulis oil deserves its own place in perfumery on account of the above mentioned valuable notes and effects. The oil finds application in citrus-colognes, ambre-, chypre-, fougère-bases, as well as in a multitude of other bases where a fresh modification of ambre-herbaceous notes are called for (lavender, pine, etc.). Even trace amounts of the oil may introduce a delightful topnote in a herbaceous or floral-herbaceous fragrance. Moroccan chamomile oil has occasionally found use as an adulterant in cistus oil (distilled from labdanum "gum"). **Ormenis**** ****Multicaulis**** **grows wild, and is available in quite substantial quantities, but the oil is not yet a common article although it has been produced for at least 30 years.