Help on Lysichiton secreted substance

From: Scott Hyndman hyndman at aroid.org> on 2001.04.23 at 02:35:13(6243) Does anyone on the list have any ideas that could help out Kevin with a Lysichton americanum question per the note below? Please reply to the list so that all can learn, or to Kevin directly. Many thanks, Scott +More --------------------- Mr. Scott Hyndman International Aroid Society Web Site Vero Beach, Florida, USA USDA Hardiness Zone 10a E-mail: hyndman@aroid.org on 4/22/01 2:50 PM, Kevin Carrabine at kcarrab@home.com wrote: Mr Hyndman, A shot in the dark request...have you any idea of the name of the specific substance secreted by western Skunk Cabbage (Lysichoton americanum) that gives it the sickly sweet smell? I am helping a friend's son on a school science project and we have, through the help of a horticulturalist friend, determined that is probably some amine or indole, but we would like to try to discover the specific chemical/substance, if known. Thanks for any help you can provide.

From: Sue Thompson sthomp at andrew.cmu.edu> on 2001.04.23 at 15:37:33(6246) Kevin, Check out the following article for more information: Pellmyr, O. and J.M. Patt. 1986. Function of olfactory and visual stimuli in pollination of Lysichiton americanum (Araceae) by a staphylinid. Madrono 33:47-54. It discusses chemical composition of the odor as I recall. Regards, Sue +More --On Sunday, April 22, 2001, 9:35 PM -0500 Scott Hyndman wrote: > Does anyone on the list have any ideas that could help out Kevin with a > Lysichton americanum question per the note below? Please reply to the > list so that all can learn, or to Kevin directly. > > Many thanks, Scott > > --------------------- > Mr. Scott Hyndman > International Aroid Society Web Site > Vero Beach, Florida, USA > USDA Hardiness Zone 10a > E-mail: hyndman@aroid.org > > > > on 4/22/01 2:50 PM, Kevin Carrabine at kcarrab@home.com wrote: > > Mr Hyndman, > > A shot in the dark request...have you any idea of the name of the specific > substance secreted by western Skunk Cabbage (Lysichoton americanum) that > gives it the sickly sweet smell? I am helping a friend's son on a school > science project and we have, through the help of a horticulturalist > friend, determined that is probably some amine or indole, but we would > like to try to discover the specific chemical/substance, if known. Sue Thompson, Ph.D. Interim Executive Director Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership P.O. Box 60071 Pittsburgh, PA 15211-0671 tel: 412-431-4449, ext. 241 fax: 412-390-0473 e-mail: sthomp@andrew.cmu.edu

Note: this is a very old post, so no reply function is available.