The only book I know of containing gas chromatographic analyses of orchid scent is Roman Kaiser's The Scent of Orchids, 1993, Roche.
The book includes only species, so Sharry Baby will not be included. However, Onc. ornithorynchum is detailed - and largely responsible for the fragrance of the hybrid SB. The 'chocolate' scent of SB is, IMHO, largely associative & constructed of other fragrance molecules giving the impact of chocolate. Onc. ornithorynchum scent contains various rose-associated molecules (geraniol/geranial, nerol/neral, citronellol), monoterpines and vanillin. Vanillin (vanilla) is not naturally occurring in cocoa - but added in processing into chocolate. The pyrazines (the backbone of chocolate flavor & fragrance) are also not naturally occurring in cocoa, but rather produced as a byproduct of roasting the cocoa. It's highly unlikely that pyrazines would be found in uncooked orchids. Onc. ornithorynchum also includes various hexenol/hexenal/hexenoate molecules similar to ones on the list below & provide a 'fresh green' aspect to the fragrance. Whip those together in a hybrid, add a little imagination & precognitive suggestion, and you've got 'chocolate.' Tell another initiate that you've got an orchid that smells just like a rose spritzed with vanilla, let them smell Sharry Baby, and that's what they will smell... David J >Well, I have also heard that comment many times in particular in reference >to the scent of the flowers of the very popular hybrid Oncidium Sharry Baby. > >Wondering what compounds produce a chocolate scent, I found the following : > >"include isoamyl cinnamate, anisyl alcohol, benzyl cinnamate, isobutyl >hexanoate, isobutyl phenylacetate, benzyl ether, maltol, >2-methylbutyraldehyde, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, >2-ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine, 3-ethyl-2-hydroxy-2-cyclopenten-1-one, >5-methyl-2-phenyl-2-hexenal, 4-methyl-2-phenyl-2-pentenal, >2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine, 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, 2-methoxypyrazine, >4-methyl-5-vinylthiazole, 2,4,5-trimethylthiazole, butyl 2-methylbutyrate, >and 3-methyl-1-pentanol, among others." > >Has chocolate scent in orchids been analyzed ? >Could provide references to articles or books ? > >************ >Regards, > >VB _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [email protected] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
