Convallaria majalis L. - Liliaceae - lily of the valley, Maiglöckchen
Herb with creeping rhizom, 0.10-0.20m, native to Europe; leaves mostly 2, elliptic-lanceolate; flowers bell-shaped, white, highly fragrant, pendent on a one-sided raceme; fruit a red berry.
„C. majalis is a native of Europe, where it largely avoids the Mediterranean and Atlantic margins. An eastern variety, C. majalis var. manschurica occurs in Japan and parts of eastern Asia. A limited native population of C. majalis var. montana occurs in Eastern USA . There is, however, some debate as to the native status of the American variety.“ wikipedia
The fragrant volatiles of Convallaria majalis flowers were enriched by dynamic and vacuum headspace sampling. The products of the vacuum process displayed a more typical odor, maybe due the higher content of farnesol (2-3%) and 2,3-dihydrofarnesol (2%). Main volatiles of the flowers (vacuum) were benzyl alcohol (27-44%) and geraniol (10-17%), together with (E)-ocimene (traces), citronellyl acetate (0.5-3%), (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate (1%), benzyl acetate (1%), phenylacetonitrile (2-4%), phenylacetaldoxime (1-2%), and cinnamic alcohol (3-7%).
[Surburg et al., Volatile compounds from Flowers, in: Teranishi, R.;Buttery, R. G.;Sugisawa, H. Bioactive volatile compounds from plants. (Book) 1993, 169-186]
 benzyl alcohol |  citronellol |  (E)-phenylacetaldehyde oxime |  (E)-2,3-dihydrofarnesol |  β-ionone |
GC-MS analysis of vacuum headspace samples of the flower scent showed main components with floral-rosy-citrusy notes like citronellal, citronellol (9.6%), citronellyl acetate (1.1%), geranyl acetate (3.3%), nerol (1.3%), geraniol (8.4%), benzyl alcohol (35.2%), phenylethyl alcohol (0.78%), geranial + benzyl acetate (0.96%), neral (0.02%), phenylacetonitrile (3.0%), farnesol (1.9%) and 2,3-dihydrofarnesol (0.88 %); green-grassy notes like (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol (10.6%), (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate (7.8%), (E)-2-hexenal (0.18%), and (Z)-3-hexenal (trace); fatty, waxy, aldehydic notes like octanal (0.15%), nonanal (0.1 %), and decanal (0.07%).
Important trace components could be revealed by GC sniffing analysis, like (Z)-3-hexenal, green pea and galbanum-like notes like 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine and 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine, and fruity-raspberry notes like β-ionone.
[New data on trace components with sensory relevance in flower scents, Brunke, E.J., Rittler, F., Schmaus, G., Dragoco Rep., 1, 1996, 5-21]
„…studies performed at Firmenich also revealed trace amounts of phenylacetaldehyde oxime, which exhibits an interesting muguet-orange flower duality when in pure form. It was proposed that its combination with 2,3-laevo-dihydrofarnesol could reproduce the key note of the flower; however, the instability of this oxime prevents its use on industrial scale.“
[Coulomb, J. „Beyond muguet.“ Perfumer & Flavorist 43.4 (2018): 40-46]
Main volatile constituents of a diethyl ether extract of C. majalis flowers from Serbia were benzyl alcohol, citronellol, geranyl acetate, 2,3-dihydrofarnesol, (E)-cinnamyl alcohol, and (E)- and (Z)-isomers of phenylacetaldehyde oxime.
[Đorđević, Miljana R. „PP94. Lily of the valley flower volatiles: the chemical composition of the flower diethyl ether extract.“] PDF
The standardised (effect corresponding to 0.2% convallatoxin) powder of dried aboveground parts of C.majalis (Convallaria herba) has been used to treat mild cardiac insuffiency. „Convallatoxin is similar to other cardiac glycosides. It inhibits Na+,K+ ATPase and indirectly increases intracellular Ca+ concentration.This strengthens the contraction of the heart muscle… The herb is very toxic and must only be administered under the supervision of a qualified practioner.“
[Medicinal Plants of the World. Ben-Erik Van Wyk and Michael Wink, Pretoria 2004, 112]
Thomé,O.W., Flora von Deutschland Österreich und der Schweiz, Tafeln, vol.1, t.111 (1885)
plantgenera.org
Convallaria majalis © Rolf Marschner (2009) www.botanische-spaziergaenge.at