The total of 147 Anthurium species and hybrids at the University of Hawaii and the Missouri Botanical Garden germplasm collections was evaluated for the presence or absence of scent, type of fragrance, time of emission, daily occurrence, developmental stage of scent emission, color of spathe and spadix. A majority of inflorescences (76%) emitted scent. Scent was categorized as citrus, fishy, floral, foul, fruity, menthol, minty, pine, spicy and sweet. There was no relationship between scent production or scent quality with flower color or botanical section. A plurality of inflorescences emitted scent during the morning (45%) and at the pistillate stage (77%). Fragrance life of unharvested inflorescences varied from 2 to 3 days up to 4 weeks, whereas that of harvested inflorescences was only 1 or 2 days.
F1 progenies of crosses between fragrant x fragrant and non-fragrant x fragrant parents were studied to determine whether a single gene or more than one gene governed presence of scent. Progenies from 24 crosses were tested by Chi-square analysis for a single dominant or recessive trait. None produced expected segregation ratios for a single gene trait, indicating that multiple genes likely govern presence of fragrance in Anthurium. Progeny also segregated for fragrance quality and included non-parental scents.
Fragrance of seven Anthurium species and ten hybrids was analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Nineteen monoterpenes (lipids) and some alcohols, aldehydes and esters were identified. Limonene and 1,8-cineole were common to most samples along with a-pinene, p-pinene, myrcene and linalool. Hybrid UH1299, emitting a sweet and floral scent all day, showed fluctuation in amounts and types of compound during the daily cycle.
Tepals were associated with fragrance production in Anthurium. Histological comparison between tepals of fragrant and non-fragrant spadices showed lipids and starches present in both fragrant and non-fragrant samples. However, in fragrant samples, the amount of lipids was significantly greater than that of non-fragrant ones, whereas the amount of starch was significantly greater in non-fragrant samples compared with fragrant ones. These data support the hypothesis that high levels of lipids were associated with fragrance production
