Abstract: The genus Cinnamomum has been collected and investigated from Hubei Province since 1982, 13 samples of essential oils were extracted by steam distillation from fresh leaves of the various species of Cinnamomum and examined qualitatively and quantitatively by the method of capillary GC/MS/DS on Finnigan-4510 type. 108 compounds have been identified, of which 30 major constituents are selected as numerical chemotaxonomical characters, together with 17 morphological ones. The I3 samples were taken as operational taxonomic units (OTU’s). Results obtained through R cluster analysis indicate the phenetic distance and regular correlation among the characters, especially between morphological and chemical ones. Results obtained through Q cluster analysis show the relationships among the OTU’s. The Phylogenetic system of Cinnamomum in Hubei Province is also discussed in the present paper, based on the chemical constituents and the relationship mentioned above.

Key words: Cinnamomum, Numerical chemotaxonomy, Correlation among characters, Evolutionary relationship