![]() The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that constitute floral scents often have antimicrobial properties that defend that plant against pathogens (Junker and Tholl 2013). Other than attracting pollinators, floral aromas also play roles in plant defense. (corpse lily), which emits the smell of rotting meat. One good example of fly-pollinated flowers is Rafflesia sp. We usually prefer the perfume of the flowers that are pollinated by bees and moths, and we would surely dislike the smell of flowers pollinated by flies. Whether the wide range of variations in floral aromas has evolved to attract specific pollinators (bees, moths, bats, hummingbirds, etc.) is an area of active research (Glover 2011). ![]() Fragrances are powerful chemical signals that plants use to advertise their presence to their pollinators. ![]() While we may greatly appreciate floral fragrances, we should not flatter ourselves – the flowers do not emit these fragrances for us. Shakespeare is not alone praises of floral aromas are frequent in our prose, poems, metaphors and idioms. ‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet' – the verse from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is overused but nonetheless captures how strongly we associate flowers with fragrances. ![]()
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