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![]() anol |
![]() trachelogenin amide |
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Star Jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides (Apocynaceae) From a distance this climbing plant resembles a jasmine, hence it's popular name. However, it belongs to the Milkweed family, Apocynaceae. Another "false" jasmine is Madagascar jasmine. Star jasmine is native to Southeastern Asia including Japan, Korea, southern China and Vietnam and is now grown in many subtropics as a popular ornamental plant (the photos are from Parga, Greece). The white flowers are about 2 cm in diameter with a tube-like corolla opening out into five petal-like and slightly jagged lobes arranged like propeller blades. The flowers are fragrant but do not match the character and intensity of jasmine. An unusual floral volatile, anol or (E)-4-propenylphenol, was identified as a minor constituent (about 4 %) in the headspace of star jasmine flowers by Daniel Joulain (Research Laboratories, Robertet S.A.) [273]. A lignan of interesting biological effects, trachelogenin amide, is found in the leaves and stems of star jasmine. In China the plant is used in folk medicine to treat rheumatic arthralgia, aching of loins and knees, and traumatic injuries [274]. |
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![]() DHF, furaneol or strawberry furanone |
![]() ![]() 3(Z)-hexenal and diacetyl |
![]() strawberry esters |
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Strawberry |
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![]() cinnamyl cinnamate and hydrocinnamyl cinnamate |
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Styrax Liquidambar styraciflua (Altingiaceae) American sweetgum Liquidambar orientalis (Altingiaceae) Oriental sweetgum The American sweetgum tree is one of the larger trees of the Atlantic North America. In Florida it may reach a height of 50 m, whereas trees grown as ornamentals in European gardens and parks never become so large. The leaves are resembling those of Maple (Acer) and turn bright red in the autumn. As the Latin name suggests, Liquidambar styraciflua exudes a balsam or fragrant resin (Lat. styrax) when injured. Styrax, especially that of L. orientalis, is still an item of commerce from which refined products are derived for perfumery purposes. The balsam is collected from the bark of artificially injured trees. The above photos are from the Botanical Garden in Copenhagen. Styrax balsam has a "balsamic" smell characteristic of higher cinnamates. The main ingredients are cinnamyl cinnamate (styracine) and hydrocinnamyl cinnamate (3-phenylpropyl cinnamate). Several other constituents are present, among them traces of styrene [303]. Etymology: The generic Latin name, styrax, meaning balsam or fragrant resin, is also found as the genus name of the unrelated Benzoin trees, Styrax benzoin and Styrax tonkinensis (Styracaceae), from which the more valuable gum resin "benzoe" is obtained. Styrene (vinylbenzene or phenylethylene), now a major petrochemical item, owes its name to styrax since it was obtained by destructive distillation of this balsam (by decarboxylation of cinnamic acid) in the early years of organic chemistry. |
![]() styrene |
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![]() (E)-anethole |
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Sweet cicely Myrrhis odorata (Umbelliferae) This beautiful umbellifer origins in the mountainous regions of Central Europe. It has been grown as a medicinal plant in the monasteries, and now it has spread to most of Europe. In Denmark, for example, it is found here and there along the roads in forests and in the countryside. You only have to rub the leaves to experience the magnificent anise flavour, due to the aromatic compound (E)-anethole (see also anise and star anise) [149]. Etymology: Gr. myrrhis, an erroneous reference to the fragrant Myrrh gum-resin. |
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![]() formation of coumarin from its glycoside |
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Sweetclover |
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![]() alpha-pinene, 1,8-cineole, germacrene B, and gamma-cadinene |
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Sweet Gale |
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