Epipactis atrorubens (Hoffm. ex Bernh.) Besser - Orchidaceae
dark red helleborine, Braunrote Stendelwurz, Rot-Ständelwurz, Strandvanille
Orchid, up to 80cm tall, native to Europe; flowers reddish-brown to purple, emitting a wonderful vanilla-like and aromatic spicy scent. The flower scent also explains the German name 'Strandvanille' = 'beach vanilla' for plants growing on the islands of Rugia and Usedom at the coast of the Baltic sea. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braunrote_Stendelwurz
Vanillin was the main compound of the more volatile components found in the flower pentane extracts of Epipactis atrorubens, Epipactis helleborine, and Epipactis purpurata (absolute amount very high in E.atrorubens). Other main compounds were hexadecanol and heptanal. Minor volatile components of E.atrorubens were e.g. 3,4-dimethoxybenzylalcohol, 2,4-dimethoxyphenol, pentadecanal, pentadecanol, and hexadecanal.
[Hölzler, Gerald. Identification of pollinator-attracting semiochemicals of wasp-pollinated Epipactis species. na, 2003] http://othes.univie.ac.at/33953/1/Diplomarbeit%20%20Gerald%20H%C3%B6lzler%202003.pdf
GC-MS analysis of nectar from examined Epipactis species (collected from flowers by using capillary glass with methylene chloride or n-pentane as eluents) showed compounds like 3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (veratraldehyde), 1-methoxy-4-methyl benzene (para-methyl anisole), octanal, nonanal, and decanal.
E. atrorubens nectar also contained compounds not found in the other examined Epipactis species, like 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (4-methyl guaiacol, valspice) and 3,4-dimethoxytoluene (4-methylveratrole) e.g.
[Jakubska-Busse, Anna, and Marcin Kadej. „The pollination of Epipactis Zinn, 1757 (Orchidaceae) species in Central Europe–the significance of chemical attractants, floral morphology and concomitant insects.“ Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae 80.1 (2011)] http://agro.icm.edu.pl/agro/element/bwmeta1.element.dl-catalog-5db1a2a3-d7de-4313-872c-f90b71784b62/c/86.pdf
Epipactis atrorubens (Hoffm.) Besser
Reichenbach, H.G.L., Iconographia botanica seu plantae criticae, t. 849, fig. 1141 (1823-1832) [H. Humitzsch]
http://botanicalillustrations.org/species.php?id_species=389670
Epipactis atrorubens © Rolf Marschner (2005)
www.botanische-spaziergaenge.at