Encyclia fragrans (Sw.) Dressler - syn. Epidendrum fragrans Sw.; Prosthechea fragrans (Sw.) W.E.Higgins - Orchidaceae - clamshell orchid, **Duftende Muschelorchidee**

Epiphytic orchid, native to Central- and South America and the Caribbean Islands; pyriform and fleshy pseudobulbs carrying a single leaf up to 30 long; racemes (up to 10cm long) may produce 2-10 highly fragrant flowers with a scent reminescent of vanilla and honey, 4cm across, with greenish-white sepals and petals with purple stripes in the lip. 

Main components of the headspace were (E)-ocimene (32.0%), hydroquinone dimethyl ether (8.8%), 3,5-dimethoxy toluene (10.1%), and methyl (E)-cinnamate (9.2%). The very powerful and pleasant scent opens with a top note of passionfruit and mango triggered by interaction of ocimene, β-ionone (trace), and the two edulane isomers (traces) with several fruit esters like e.g. ethyl hexanoate (2.3%), hexyl acetate (1.0%), 2-heptyl butyrate (1.5%), hexyl butyrate (5.3%), cis-3-hexenyl butyrate (2.0%), 2-heptyl hexanoate (1.0%), hexyl hexanoate (2.6%), and cis-3-hexenyl hexanoate (1.1%). An attractive contrast is formed by a astringent tea rose-like note produced primarly by 3,5-dimethoxy toluene. "Edulane, a substance that is relatively widespead in nature, and the highly typical ester (Z)-3,5-hexadienyl butyrate are, in fact, already known as important flavourings in passion fruit." \\
[Kaiser, Roman AJ. "The scent of orchids." 1993. 87-88, 221-222]

The major volatiles of the flowers of E. fragrans were terpinen-4-ol (18.3%), (2Z,6E)-farnesol (15.4%), trans-verbenol (10.2%), heneicosane (8.6%), eicosane (4.6%), γ-terpinene (4.8%), δ-3-carene (3.2%), nonanal (2.6%), (E,E)-farnesol (2.9%), and (E,Z)-farnesol (1.2%). \\
[Zoghbi, Maria das Graças Β.; Andrade, Eloisa Helena A.; da Silva, Manoela Fernandes F.; "Flower scent analysis of Encyclia Vespa (vell.) Dressler & GE Pollard and E. Fragrans (Sw.) Lemée." Acta Amazonica 32.1 (2002): 65-70]

{{encycliafragrans_magdeburg2022.jpg?600}} \\
Encyclia fragrans. Gruson Gewächshäuser Magdeburg (2022) \\
[[https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/|CC BY-SA 3.0]], Author: Andreas Kraska

{{encyclia_fragrans.png}} \\
Encyclia fragrans; University of Oxford Botanic Garden (2006), Author: [[https://www.flickr.com/photos/tim-waters/181389732/in/photolist-49y7Lq-h2ERb-7Pc6yK-7Pg4KU-7Pg7ab-4dYSqR|Tim Waters]]
[[https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/|CC-BY-SA 2.0]]

[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZWkXJzdIEc|Video]] of E.fragrans in more natural epiphytic conditions