Tuberose | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Asparagaceae |
Subfamily: | Agavoideae |
Genus: | Agave |
Species: | A. amica |
Binomial name | |
Agave amica (Medik.) Thiede & Govaerts [1] | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Agave amica, formerly Polianthes tuberosa, the tuberose, is a perennial plant in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, extracts of which are used as a note in perfumery. Now widely grown as an ornamental plant, the species is native to Mexico.
The common name derives from the Latin tuberosa through French tubéreuse, [2] meaning swollen or tuberous in reference to its root system.
The tuberose is herbaceous, growing from underground tubers or tuberous roots. It produces offsets. The leaves are a dull green and about 1–1.5 ft (30–50 cm) long and up to 0.5 in (13 mm) wide at the base. They are slightly succulent. The inflorescence is a spike, reaching up to 3 ft (1 m) high, with pure white waxy flowers. The flowers are tubular, with a tube up to 2.5 in (6 cm) long, separating into six flaring segments (tepals) at the end, and are strongly fragrant. There are six stamens, inserted into the tube of the flower, and a three-part stigma. [3]
The double-flowered cultivar 'The Pearl' has broader and darker leaves, and shorter flower spikes, usually reaching only 1.5–2 ft (50–60 cm). Orange-flowered forms of the species have been reported. [3] As well due to crossing with other species there are now yellow, pink, red and greenish forms.[ citation needed ]
The species was first described for science by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, as Polianthes tuberosa. [4] In 1790, Friedrich Kasimir Medikus moved the species to the genus Tuberosa as Tuberosa amica. [5] [1] Both morphological and molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that Polianthes is embedded within the larger genus Agave , and the genus is now included in a broadly circumscribed Agave. [6] [7] Two incorrect attempts were made to name the species when transferred to Agave. In 1999, Joachim Thiede and Urs Eggli published the name "Agave tuberosa". However, Philip Miller had published this name in 1768, for the species now called Furcraea tuberosa , [8] so it cannot be used again, and Thiede and Eggli's name is illegitimate. In 2001, Thiede and Eggli published a replacement name ( nomen novum ), "Agave polianthes". However, since Medikus's Tuberosa amica is considered to be a synonym of Polianthes tuberosa, its epithet is the second oldest and according to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants should be used when the older epithet is unavailable. Hence Thiede and Eggli's second name is superfluous, [9] and the correct name for the species within Agave is Agave amica, as was explained by Thiede and Rafaël Govaerts when they published this combination in 2017. [10]
The tuberose is believed to be native to central and southern Mexico. [1] It is no longer found in the wild, probably as a result of being domesticated by the Aztecs. It is currently grown in many tropical and temperate countries. [3] Agave amica (previously Polianthes tuberosa) is the only one of the species previously known as Polianthes in commercial cultivation. [11]
The overwhelming fragrance of the tuberose has been distilled for use in perfumery since the 17th century, when the flower was first transported to Europe. French Queen Marie Antoinette used a perfume called Sillage de la Reine, also called Parfum de Trianon, containing tuberose, orange blossom, sandalwood, jasmine, iris and cedar. [12] [13] It remains a popular floral note for perfumes, either in stand-alone Tuberose fragrances or mixed floral scents, but it generally must be used in moderation because the essence is overpowering and can become sickly to the wearer. [14]
In Indonesia, tuberose flowers are also used in cooking. [15]
In Hawaii, they are one of the main flowers used in the construction of leis. [16] Some others are plumerias, ginger, orchids, and pikake (jasmine). [17]
Tuberoses can be overwintered outdoors in hardiness zones 8-10. [18] In colder zones, tuberoses are grown as summer annuals, in pots or mixed-flower borders where they can be enjoyed for their scent. To flower the plants require around 4 months of warm temperatures from the time the rhizome is planted. Gardeners usually start the rhizomes in pots in greenhouses beginning in late-winter or early spring, moving them outdoors in late spring once frost danger has passed. [19] If they are started directly in the ground at this time, they may not bloom until September, greatly reducing the period in which their blooms may be enjoyed. Once the foliage begins to yellow in October, the leaves should be clipped, the rhizomes dug and stored in a cool, dry and dark place for the winter. [19]
The most popular variety is a double-flowered cultivar known as 'The Pearl' that grows to 2.5 ft (76 cm) tall and features pale pink buds opening to cream. [20] The more common variety is called 'Mexican Single', which, although not as decorative as 'The Pearl', makes for a longer lasting cut flower. [19]
Tuberoses were especially beloved by Louis XIV of France, who had them planted in the hundreds in the flower beds of the Grand Trianon at Versailles so that the scent was overpowering, which no doubt helped cover the smells from the poor sanitation [ broken anchor ] of the palace. They were grown in clay pots and planted directly in the ground; to keep the perfume consistently strong new specimens were rotated in, sometimes daily. [21]
Yucca is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40–50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitish flowers. They are native to the Americas and the Caribbean in a wide range of habitats, from humid rainforest and wet subtropical ecosystems to the hot and dry (arid) deserts and savanna.
Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agreeable scent. Perfumes can be defined as substances that emit and diffuse a pleasant and fragrant odor. They consist of manmade mixtures of aromatic chemicals and essential oils. The 1939 Nobel Laureate for Chemistry, Leopold Ružička stated in 1945 that "right from the earliest days of scientific chemistry up to the present time, perfumes have substantially contributed to the development of organic chemistry as regards methods, systematic classification, and theory."
Manfreda was a genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Along with Polianthes, members are commonly called tuberoses. The generic name honours 14th-century Italian writer Manfredus de Monte Imperiale. All species are now placed in Agave.
Polianthes is a formerly recognized genus of plants in family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. molecular phylogenetic studies showed that Polianthes is embedded within the larger genus Agave, which has been expanded to include it. One of its former members is the tuberose, Agave amica, formerly Polianthes tuberosa, a plant that is commonly used in perfume making.
Cananga odorata, known as ylang-ylang or cananga tree, is a tropical tree that is native to the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Queensland, Australia. It is also native to parts of Thailand and Vietnam. It is valued for the essential oils extracted from its flowers, which has a strong floral fragrance. Ylang-ylang is one of the most extensively used natural materials in the perfume industry, earning it the name "Queen of Perfumes".
Plumeria, also known as frangipani, is a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Rauvolfioideae, of the family Apocynaceae. Most species are deciduous shrubs or small trees. The species are native to the Neotropical realm, but are often grown as cosmopolitan ornamentals in tropical regions, especially in Hawaii, as well as hot desert climates in the Arabian Peninsula with proper irrigation.
Agave attenuata, commonly called the foxtail or lion's tailagave or the swan's neck agave, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae. Sometimes called the soft-leaf or soft-leaved agave, the aforementioned animal-related names are a nod to the appearance of the plant's inflorescence, which—after years, generally—rises slightly before gravity brings it back down, giving the bloom a curved, "swan"-like or "foxtail" look. The species' specific manner of flowering is unique in the genus Agave as most other species produce a towering, vertical display, reminiscent of a miniature tree.
Farnesol is a natural 15-carbon organic compound which is an acyclic sesquiterpene alcohol. Under standard conditions, it is a colorless liquid. It is hydrophobic, and thus insoluble in water, but miscible with oils. As the pyrophosphate ester, farnesol is a precursor to many terpenes and terpenoids.
Agave mitis is a plant species native to the Mexican states of Hidalgo, Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosí, referred to as Agave celsii in many publications.
Rhodiola is a genus of perennial plants in the family Crassulaceae that resemble Sedum and other members of the family. Like sedums, Rhodiola species are often called stonecrops. Some authors merge Rhodiola into Sedum.
Eau de toilette is a lightly scented perfume. It is also referred to as aromatic waters and has a high alcohol content. It is usually applied directly to the skin after bathing or shaving. It is traditionally composed of alcohol and various volatile oils. Traditionally these products were named after a principal ingredient, like geranium water, lavender water, lilac water, violet water, spirit of myrcia and "eau de Bretfeld". Because of this, eau de toilette was sometimes referred to as "toilet water".
Francis Kurkdjian is a French perfumer and businessman of Armenian descent. He is best known for creating the men's fragrance Le Male for Jean Paul Gaultier in 1995, which has become one of the world's best-selling perfumes.
Agave sileri is a species of Agave known only from coastal areas in the States of Texas and Tamaulipas. It grows on open locations with clay soil, at elevations below 100 m. Siler's tuberose is a common name.
Agave margaritae is a species of plant from the Agave genus. Its common name in English is "Magdalena Island Agave".
George William Septimus Piesse, known as Septimus Piesse, was an English chemist and perfumer. Piesse was a leading author and innovator of modern perfume ideas, inventing the concept of notes in perfumery that are still used universally today. He was the co-owner of Piesse and Lubin, a perfume house that created some of the most popular scents of its day.
Agave coetocapnia is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to Mexico. It was first described in 1824 as Bravoa geminiflora. It has been known by several other scientific names, including, in whole or part, Polianthes geminiflora. It has been cultivated as an ornamental plant.
Furcraea tuberosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae. It is native to the Caribbean, and it is naturalized in parts of South Africa. Plants have a limited use as a source of fibre.
(Z)-6-Dodecen-4-olide is a volatile, unsaturated lipid and γ-lactone found in dairy products, and secreted as a pheromone by some even-toed ungulates. It has a creamy, cheesy, fatty flavour with slight floral undertones in small concentrations, but contributes towards the strong, musky smell of a few species of antelope and deer in higher concentrations.
Fracas is a 1948 perfume created by French perfumer Germaine Cellier for French fashion designer Robert Piguet. It is based on the scent of tuberose, a pungent small white flower. A landmark fragrance, it has spawned many imitators and as of 2024 has been in production for over 75 years.