Floral Bouquets Research Articles

Headspace volatile composition of the flowers of Caralluma europaea N.E.Br. (Apocynaceae).

The volatile constituents of the flowers of Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E.Br (Apocynaceae) from Lampedusa Island were analyzed by a headspace GC method. The analyses allowed the identification and quantification of 41 compounds. The main components were, among the monoterpenoids, terpinolene (23.3%), α-terpinene (19.1%) and linalool (18.4%), whereas, among the carbonylic compounds the major constituents were heptanal (2.0%), octanoic acid (2.4%) and hexanoic acid (1.7%). The presence of a nitrogen containing compound, indole (0.8%) and of a sulphur containing compound, dimethylsulphide (t), noteworthy. The compounds found in the flowers of C. europaea have been compared with data available in the literature as regard to their odor, presence in other sapromyiophilous taxa, possible role as semiochemicals, and presence in decaying organic matter. 89.3% of total constituents have been described in other sapromyiophilous taxa. Some of the compounds are present in several types of decaying organic matter (excrements, decomposing bodies, and spoiled fish, etc). Several volatiles found in C. europaea flowers are used as semiochemicals by Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera and other insects. Sixteen volatiles, accounting for 32.4% of the total constituents, are described as attractants of some Diptera families, with a biology linked to decaying organic matter. Our data thus confirm that C. europaea floral bouquet falls within the sapromyiophilous pollination syndrome.

Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers (review)

Reviewed by: Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers Deborah Jean Warner (bio) Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers. By Amy Stewart . Chapel Hill, N.C.: Algonquin Books, 2007 Pp. 306. $23.95. Leslie Woodruff, the first character we meet in Amy Stewart's delightful book, was a crusty Californian who hybridized flowers the old-fashioned way. By brushing the pollen of one flower onto the stamen of another and waiting to see what emerged from the ground, he managed to combine the upright stance of Asiatic lilies with the bold color and fragrance of Oriental lilies. His Star Gazer lily was patented in 1976 and, because it went well in floral arrangements and had a long vase life and good shipping characteristics, it became the best-selling lily of all time. Some thirty-six million stems are sold every year through the Dutch auctions alone. After a short account of open-air growing, Stewart describes large greenhouses where each blossom is looked on as a unit of profit. Because [End Page 293] flower purchases are incredibly seasonal—Valentine's Day and Mother's Day being the biggest floral events of the year—growers keep tight control of their plants by such means as constricting the buds and varying the length of the daily darkness. At Sun Valley in California, the largest flower farm in the United States, most of the workers are Latinos, and at Terra Nigra in the Netherlands, most of the workers are Poles. Chemicals are an important part of the process but, because they are expensive and because of environmental concerns, the large growers strive to minimize their use. In Equador, however, the pressure to produce perfect flowers has led to a host of perhaps unanticipated problems: workers now earn a steady salary but no longer have time to grow their own foodstuffs, and the use of chemicals puts strains on the environment. The emergence of flower farms in Colombia and Equador, incidentally, was a direct consequence of the American government's offer of tax advantages for farmers who grew things other than coca. In the third section, Stewart takes us to the Miami Airport, through which pass 88 percent of the cut flowers that come into the United States and where they are inspected, for bugs and contraband, by representatives of the Department of Homeland Security. We then visit the great Dutch flower market at Aaslmeer with its descending auction—the price drops until someone is ready to bid—and several local florist shops in the United States. Along the way, Stewart explains that many flowers are dipped into a fungicide just before shipment, and so one might think twice before smelling floral bouquets. On the other hand, because scent uses energy that might otherwise go into looks, most commercial flowers are scentless. This book is not a history of technology, but it does make a convincing argument that the flower industry is enormous and international, and that the process of developing and growing flowers, and delivering them to our local florists and grocery stores, involves a great deal of sophisticated science and technology. It should, therefore, encourage historians of technology to pay more attention to this and other parts of the natural world. According to JSTOR, Technology and Culture has published nothing on cut flowers and next to nothing on flowers of any sort. Deborah Jean Warner Deborah Warner, whose day job is curator of physical sciences at the National Museum of American History, spends many happy hours watering and weeding her gardens. Copyright © 2007 The Society for the History of Technology

Chemistry of floral scents in four Licuala species (Arecaceae)

AbstractFloral fragrances are known to attract pollinators. Resemblances in the chemistry of floral scents may associate a group of plants to the same array of pollinators and/or mirror the systematics of related species. In this study, floral volatiles were extracted and all compounds identified from four Licuala palms: L. grandis, L. mattanensis, L. spinosa and L. lauterbachii. A typical emission of isoprenoid compounds in the four species was revealed. However, each species was characterized by a different chemical composition of the floral bouquet. The relative importance of similarity and diversity found in floral scent chemistry for pollination and systematics is discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Variabilidade fenotípica de Rumohra adiantiformis (G. Forst) Ching (Dryopteridaceae)

Rumohra adiantiformis é uma pteridófita amplamente distribuída em regiões tropicais, conhecida como samambaia-preta e utilizada em arranjos florais. Suas frondes possuem formas e tamanhos variados, de acordo com o ambiente onde ocorrem. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a variabilidade fenotípica dos indivíduos desta espécie com hábitos e ambientes de ocorrência distintos, utilizando características morfológicas como indicadores de plasticidade. Frondes, de três diferentes formações vegetacionais, foram coletadas para a medição dos parâmetros morfológicos. Os valores médios de comprimento total da fronde, área foliar, densidade estomática e espessuras do mesofilo foram significativamente diferentes entre os três ambientes. Os dados sugerem que R. adiantiformis apresentou variabilidade fenotípica para a maioria das características analisadas, sendo que os indivíduos de hábito terrícola de sol foram os que mais diferiram morfologicamente em função das condições ambientais mais estressantes como maior deficit hídrico e a maior intensidade luminosa que estas plantas estão expostas.

Rates of Epiphytic Growth of Erwinia amylovora on Flowers Common in the Landscape.

We evaluated epiphytic growth of the fire blight bacterium, Erwinia amylovora, on flowers of plant species common to landscapes where pears and apples are grown. The plants were from genera regarded as important nectar and pollen sources for pollinating insects: Acer, Amelanchier, Brassica, Cytisus, Populus, Prunus, Rubus, Salix, Taraxacum, Trifolium, and Symphoricarpos. Floral bouquets were inoculated with E. amylovora and incubated in growth chambers at 15°C for 96 h. Regardless of their susceptibility to fire blight, all species from the rose family except Prunus domestica (European plum) supported epiphytic populations of E. amylovora that exceeded 1 × 106 CFU/flower with relative growth rates for the populations that averaged 7% per hour. Nonrosaceous plants were generally poor supporters of epiphytic growth of the fire blight pathogen with relative growth rates averaging <4% per hour. In two seasons of field inoculations, the rosaceous non-disease-host plants, Prunus avium (sweet cherry) and Rubus armeniacus (Himalayan blackberry), yielded mean population sizes of E. amylovora that exceeded 1 × 106 CFU/flower; in contrast, at 8 days after inoculation, mean population sizes of the pathogen were in the range of 5 × 103 to 5 × 104 CFU/flower on Cytisus scoparius (Scotch broom) and <1 × 102 CFU on Acer macrophylum (big leaf maple). Because vectors of E. amylovora, principally bees, visit many kinds of flowers in landscape areas between pear and apple orchards, flowers of rosaceous, non-disease-host species could serve as potential sites of inoculum increase during their periods of bloom.

Clover yellow vein virus Identified in Ammi majus in Florida.

Ammi majus L., a member of the Apiaceae and also known as large bullwort, false Queen Anne's lace, or bishop's-weed, is frequently used in the floral trade to add a lacey look to floral bouquets. A. majus is native to the Mediterranean Region but it is cultivated in major growing areas including Holland, Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States. During March 2005, virus-like symptoms including mosaic, generalized chlorosis, vein clearing, interveinal chlorosis, and leaf rugosity were observed in nearly all field-grown A. majus plants at two locations in Martin County, Florida. Inclusion body morphology suggested the presence of one or more potyviruses in the symptomatic plants. Potyvirus infection was confirmed in 11 symptomatic plants using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (Agdia, Elkhart, IN). Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of a 1,625-bp region of one of the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction products amplified with degenerate potyvirus primers (1) from total RNA of symptomatic plants (GenBank Accession No. DQ333346) were 96 to 97% and 93 to 99% identical, respectively, to Clover yellow vein virus (ClYVV) sequences in GenBank. All symptomatic plants tested were potyvirus positive using ELISA, but only a subset was infected with ClYVV suggesting that the field symptoms were the result of infection with additional potyviruses, all of which are likely aphid transmitted. Although several potyviruses have been reported from A. majus (2), to our knowledge, this represents the first report of ClYVV infection.

Floral Odor Variation in Two Heterostylous Species of Primula

Floral traits such as odor, color, and morphology are important pollinator attractants. Variation in floral traits may influence floral constancy, the tendency of pollinating insects to visit flowers of only one type. We investigated for the first time variation in odor between floral morphs in heterostylous species. We analyzed inter- and intraspecific odor variation in the "pin" and "thrum" floral morphs of sympatric Primula elatior and P. farinosa (Primulaceae). Floral volatiles were sampled with headspace sorption. Quantitative analysis and chemical identification were performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The species produced different floral bouquets. P. elatior emitted mostly limonene with small amounts of alpha-pinene, myrcene, and sabinene. P. farinosa produced benzaldehyde, 4-oxoisophorone (2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1,4-dione), benzyl alcohol, and benzyl acetate. These interspecific differences may play a role in promoting floral constancy and maintaining species integrity. Conversely, no differences were detected between the scents of pin and thrum morphs within each species. Heterostyly relies on pollinators visiting both floral morphs. There may be stabilizing selection against divergences in traits that may cause pollinators to develop floral constancy to only one of the floral morphs.

Understanding in vivo benzenoid metabolism in petunia petal tissue.

In vivo stable isotope labeling and computer-assisted metabolic flux analysis were used to investigate the metabolic pathways in petunia (Petunia hybrida) cv Mitchell leading from Phe to benzenoid compounds, a process that requires the shortening of the side chain by a C(2) unit. Deuterium-labeled Phe ((2)H(5)-Phe) was supplied to excised petunia petals. The intracellular pools of benzenoid/phenylpropanoid-related compounds (intermediates and end products) as well as volatile end products within the floral bouquet were analyzed for pool sizes and labeling kinetics by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Modeling of the benzenoid network revealed that both the CoA-dependent, beta-oxidative and CoA-independent, non-beta-oxidative pathways contribute to the formation of benzenoid compounds in petunia flowers. The flux through the CoA-independent, non-beta-oxidative pathway with benzaldehyde as a key intermediate was estimated to be about 2 times higher than the flux through the CoA-dependent, beta-oxidative pathway. Modeling of (2)H(5)-Phe labeling data predicted that in addition to benzaldehyde, benzylbenzoate is an intermediate between l-Phe and benzoic acid. Benzylbenzoate is the result of benzoylation of benzyl alcohol, for which activity was detected in petunia petals. A cDNA encoding a benzoyl-CoA:benzyl alcohol/phenylethanol benzoyltransferase was isolated from petunia cv Mitchell using a functional genomic approach. Biochemical characterization of a purified recombinant benzoyl-CoA:benzyl alcohol/phenylethanol benzoyltransferase protein showed that it can produce benzylbenzoate and phenylethyl benzoate, both present in petunia corollas, with similar catalytic efficiencies.

Assessing the risks associated with the release of a flowerbud weevil, Anthonomus santacruzi, against the invasive tree Solanum mauritianum in South Africa

Abstract Biological control of Solanum mauritianum Scopoli, a major environmental weed in the high-rainfall regions of South Africa, is dependent on the establishment of agents that can reduce fruiting and limit seed dispersal. The flowerbud weevil, Anthonomus santacruzi Hustache, is a promising fruit-reducing agent, despite ambiguous results obtained during host-specificity evaluations in quarantine. Adult no-choice tests showed that although feeding is confined to Solanum species, normal feeding and survival occurred on the foliage (devoid of floral material) of cultivated eggplant (aubergine), potato, and several native South African Solanum species. During paired-choice tests, involving floral bouquets in 10-liter containers, A. santacruzi oviposited in the flower buds of 12 of the 17 test species, including potato and eggplant, although significantly more larvae were recovered on S. mauritianum than on eight other species. Larvae survived to adults on all 12 species, with survival significantly lower on only four species than on S. mauritianum . However, during multi-choice tests, involving potted plants in a large walk-in cage, A. santacruzi consistently displayed significant feeding and oviposition preferences for S. mauritianum over all of the 14 Solanum species tested. Analyses of the risk of attack on nontarget Solanum plants suggested that, with the possible exception of two native species, none is likely to be extensively utilized as a host in the field. Also, host records and field surveys in South America have suggested that A. santacruzi has a very narrow host range and that the ambiguous laboratory results are further examples of artificially expanded host ranges. These and other considerations suggest that A. santacruzi should be considered for release against S. mauritianum in South Africa, and an application for permission to release the weevil was submitted in 2003.

Floral Medallions and Bouquets

Floral Medallions and Bouquets

Epicuticular waxes and volatiles from faba bean (Vicia faba) flowers

The floral bouquet of faba bean flowers was shown to be a complex mixture of some 27 identifiable compounds. In addition to the ubiquitous mono and sesquiterpenes, the porous-polymer entrained volatiles included a diverse range of phenylpropenoids which together accounted for over 7% of the total. Cinnamyl alcohol was also found to be the most abundant free alcohol in the epicuticular wax of faba bean flowers. Two new classes of epicuticular wax esters consisting of saturated C16, C18, C20, C22 and C24 fatty acids esterified with the phenylpropenoid, cinnamyl alcohol and with the diterpene, phytol have been identified.

Bibliography of Caribbean Literature in English From Suriname, The Netherlands Antilles, Aruba, and The Netherlands

Bibliography of Caribbean Literature in English from Suriname, The Netherlands Antilles, Aruba, and The Netherlands Alice C. van Romondt (bio) Translated by Frank A. Williams (bio) Introduction In 1904 H. van Kol, a member of the Dutch Lower House of the General Assembly, wrote the following in his introduction to his book To the Netherlands Antilles and Venezuela (Amsterdam: Sijthoff, 1904): In preparation [for my voyage], I have browsed through all the books about the West Indies I could lay my hands on; and it struck me, that while just a few good books have been published in English, French literature contains little of significance with regard to this topic, and Dutch literature is downright pitiful. It is not my discretion to judge to what extent these sketches, written on a heaving ship or after exhausting journeys in a tropical and humid climate, might alleviate this lack. The lack of sources, besides my own notes, may serve as an excusable circumstance, in case [my book] does not show what could have been produced if more time had been available and if closer examination of the subjects could have taken place. To increase our knowledge concerning these countries and peoples, to gather information on the economic situations, to cast a glance to the future of these races and regions—those are the goals that I pursue rather than to provide a fascinating book of travels. Now 93 years later, the state of affairs described above has changed somewhat! Due to Callaloo’s initiative, a large public may now become acquainted with what has been published in English. The knowledge concerning these countries and peoples can indeed be “increased” and broadened. Who knows? This special issue of Callaloo may encourage other creative minds to write and to publish about the fascinating “Dutch-speaking” Caribbean. This bibliography has been compiled with the assistance of Pedro de Weever, a graduate student at Howard University from St. Maarten; Susan de Lange, Chief-Librarian-Documentalist of the Arubiana-Caribiana Collection; Miroushka Orman, Librarian-Documentalist of the National Library of Aruba; Lieneke Frerichs, Documentalist of the Foundation for the Production and Translation of Dutch Literature; and Jo Derkx and Irene Rolfes, Documentalists of the Department of Caribbean Studies, the Royal Institute of Linguistics and Anthropology in Leiden. I. Fiction, Drama, Poetry Ansano, Richenel, et al., eds. Mundu yama sínta míra: Womanhood in Curaçao. Curaçao: Fundashon Publikashon, 1992. Arion, Frank Martinus. Double Play. Trans. Paul Vincent. London: Faber and Faber, forthcoming. ——. From Double Play. Trans. Charles McGeehan. Callaloo 11 (1988): 3–18. Rpt. Broek, Swirling Columns. 33–36. ——. “Four Spirituals.” Trans. Estelle Debrot. Black Orpheus 6 (1959): 44–45. ——. “Two Spirituals.” Trans. Estelle Debrot. Melanthika: An Anthology of Pan Caribbean Writing. Eds. Nick Toczek, et al. Birmingham: L.W.M. P, 1977. 183–84. Armand, Sophie. Moonlight Over Basi-Ruti: A Novel. Aruba: Chuchúbi, 1963. Arya, U. Ritual Songs and Folksongs of Hindus of Surinam. Leiden: Brill, 1968. Bacilio, Gibi F. “Base Militar: Military Base.” Ansano. 157–58. Baly, Camille. The Village. N.p., n.d. Bandel, Paul. “The Oven.” Trans. Peter Constantine. The Caribbean Writer 10 (1996): 169–71. Beijer, Henk de. A Perfect Sight! Aruba: FAVI, 1983. Berry-Haseth, Lucille. “Cheers!” Broek, Swirling Columns. 28. Blinder, Oda. “Prophesy.” Trans. Aart G. Broek. Broek, Swirling Columns. 32. Bohac, Janet. “Candiru.” Fenwick. 43. Booi, Frank. “Amador Nita” and “We Polyglots.” Trans. Scott Rollins. Melanthika: An Anthology of Pan Caribbean Writing. Eds. Nick Toczek, et al. Birmingham: L.W.M. P, 1977. 185–86. Braakman-Bonder, I. “De onnozele: The Innocent One.” Ansano. 171–72. Brito, Nadia. “Muhe na Kaminda: Woman on the Move.” Ansano. 195–97. Broek, Aart, ed. Swirling Columns of Imagination. Curaçao: Maduro & Curiel’s Bank, 1997. Bute, Ruby. Floral Bouquets to the Daughters of Eve. California: Columbia Publishers, 1996. ——. Golden voices of S’Maatin. St. Martin: House of Nehesi, 1989. Cairo, Edgar. “Mindworry.” Trans. Peter Gobets. Amsterdam: In de Knipscheer. Unpublished Translation. ——. “Poem.” Trans. James S. Holmes. Melanthika: An Anthology of Pan Caribbean Writing. Eds. Nick Toczek, et al. Birmingham: L.W.M.P, 1977. 187–88. ——. From “This Here Soul.” Trans. Peter Gobets. Callaloo 11 (1988): 74–79...

RECENT TENDENCY OF COMPOUND IN EUROPE AND AMERICA

It is often said that popularity of perfumes does not so much change year after year as that of colors or costumes. We can see, however, transitions in popurality retracing their developments from old till latest days.Formerly the perfumes appeared in such simple types as Hungarian Water or Eau de Cologne, succeeded by single floral, floral bouquet or oriental types, for example as Quelques Fleurs, Narcisse Noir or Mitsouko.With gradual appearance of aliphatic aldehyde, so-called aldehyde types like Reve d'Or, Chanel, Arpège, etc. were created one after another in the nineteen-twenties which can be said the first golden age of French perfumes.These basic tones had not changed so much until the end of the World War II when remarkably new perfumes such as Miss Dior, Bandit, Ma Griffe, etc. were introduced. The characteristics of these perfumes may properly be said to have green, spicy and animal notes added as modifiers.In these several years Madame Rochas, Calèche, Cabochard and more recently Graffitti, Idole, Eau, Chant d'Aromes, Enthousiasme, Parce Que, Fete, Diorling, L'Insolent, kalispera have entered as new creations. In my own opinion, however, the perfumes of this series seem to be not so unique, but the variants in some point or another of the traditional perfumes introduced after the War.From a viewpoint of transitions in European notes it can be said that heavy balsamic notes in Chypre de Coty, Mitsouko or Emeraude are now dying out and aldehyde notes are declining compared with the age of Chanel No. 5. On the contrary we see light floral top-notes of Muguet, Gardenia, Carnation, etc. have become emphasized with use as modifiers of green notes such as leather or quinoline, or of fruity and spicy notes. It may be described on the whole that the perfumes now in vogue have become more of a simple Bouquet type with modest expression of characteristics, consealing, as it were, their individualties within.Meanwhile in America such sharp and pungent notes in as those Ma Griffe are more popular than straight floral, olassic and heavy oriental notes.As to new chemicals they have been utilized throughut the world particularly in recent years, and in America it seems that this tendency is most remarkable in the perfumes of middle class used in make-ups, creams, soaps, and so on.The above descriptions are my general idea with regard to the tendency of odors represented by Extraits.

Ailanthus, Source of a Peculiar London Honey

THERE can be few beekeepers in the heart of London, and one would not expect the Metropolitan area to be a promising locality for honey production. I therefore welcomed an opportunity of examining a sample of honey from an apiary in Kensington not far from Kensington Gardens, which was brought to my notice in 1943, on account of its unusual flavour. This honey was of a pale greenish-brown colour and after about three months in store set with a fine granulation. The first impression on tasting it was of a mild floral bouquet, but this was followed by a persistent after-taste reminiscent of cats. This flavour recalls exactly the cat-like odour given off by elder flowers (Sambucus nigra) when they are drying, and at first suggested that elder might be responsible. The pollens obtained by dilution in water and sedimentation were examined, but Sambucus pollen was absent. The most abundant, forming 44 per cent of the total, came from the Tree of Heaven, Ailanthus altissima, which is common as a street tree in Kensington. This species is diœcious, and the male flowers, especially, have a strong rather unpleasant odour recalling that of elder. A second major constituent was the sweet chestnut, Castanea sativa, the flowers of which also have a strong unpleasant aroma.