Volatile components of the flowers of twoCalanthe species

Abstract

The volatile compounds in the headspace of the living orchids Calanthe izu-insularis Ohwi et Satomi (Orchidaceae) and Calanthe sieboldii Decne (Orchidaceae) were examined, after absorption on to Tenax TA, by GC and GC–MS. Sensory analysis showed that in C. izu-insularis linalol and indole provided the fresh daphne and lily-of-the-valley-like odours, whereas in C. sieboldii methyl benzoate, methyl salicylate, carvone and cinnamic aldehyde contribute to the sweet orange-like spicy odour. The flowers of C. sieboldii were also extracted with hexane and the extract analysed: 150 compounds were identified. The major component was methyl hexadecanoate (13.5%) but from a sensory point of view aliphatic aldehydes, phenyl methyl ethers and 2-hydroxypinan-3-one were probably more important. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.