Inflorescence odours of Amorphophallus and Pseudodracontium (araceae)

The inflorescence odours of 18 species of Amorphophallus and two species of Pseudodracontium were analysed by headspace techniques and compared to the limited data on potential pollinators. The odours of species with 'gaseous' or carrion smells had a simple chemical composition, consisting mainly of dimethyl oligosulphides. The odours of other Amorphophallus species having different smells were also generally dominated by one or two compounds: e.g. trimethylamine in ii. brachyphyllus, isocaproic acid in A. elatus, 4-methoxyphenethyl alcohol in A. albispathus, and isoamyl acetate with ethyl acetate in A. haematospadix. The production of odours containing dimethyl oligosulphides appears to be a common feature of sapromyophilous flowers that attract carrion insects. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.