Material and method
Maurer and Baker analysed volatile substances from cut stems of cacti belonging to genera including Cylindropuntia, Grusonia, Consolea, Opuntia, Quiabentia and Tacinga. Some samples had a smell that observers associated with rancid butter or cyanoacrylate glue. The comparison included distinctly scented material and samples lacking this trait. [Maurer and Baker 2021]
Substances in the headspace above the sample were captured on a microextraction fibre, then separated and identified by GC-MS. Samples were heated to 40°C in the procedure, and extraction was optimised to fifteen minutes. The resulting profile therefore describes emissions from fragmented tissue under particular analytical conditions. [Maurer and Baker 2021]
Aldehydes, terpenes and ketones
Compounds associated with distinguishing scent groups included the aldehydes hexanal, 2-hexenal and nonanal, phenylethyl alcohol, the terpene β-phellandrene, the ketone β-ionone and 5-pentylbenzene-1,3-diol. This is a mixture of compounds with different structures and potential origins. The statistical profile arises from their coexistence and proportions. [Maurer and Baker 2021]
Chemistry and relationships
The authors tested whether emission composition helps distinguish taxonomic groups, hybrids and cytotypes. Discriminant analysis revealed differences in the dataset studied, and some hybrids had profiles difficult to predict from parental scent alone. This is a preliminary chemotaxonomic study linking molecular data on compounds with plant history and variation. [Maurer and Baker 2021]
What damaged tissue emits
Cutting a stem changes oxygen access, releases cell contents and triggers damage-related transformations. The resulting profiles refer specifically to material prepared in this way. The ecological functions of particular compounds, including roles in defence, organism attraction or communication, require experiments with intact plants and signal recipients. The 2021 study provides chemical foundations for such tests. [Maurer and Baker 2021]
Prepared from scientific publications. Accepted names were checked in POWO on 9 October 2026.
Volatile profiling of cacti: a preliminary assessment of the taxonomic and evolutionary significance of volatile compounds in Cylindropuntia, Grusonia, Consolea, Opuntia, Quiabentia, and Tacinga
Maurer M. M., Baker M. A., Volatile profiling of cacti: a preliminary assessment of the taxonomic and evolutionary significance of volatile compounds in Cylindropuntia, Grusonia, Consolea, Opuntia, Quiabentia, and Tacinga, Journal of Plant Research, 2021, 134(5):1095-1103, doi: 10.1007/s10265-021-01303-6
An analysis of volatile compounds from cut cactus stems using SPME–GC-MS. It compares chemical profiles of taxa with a distinct scent and the remaining samples, as well as hybrids and cytotypes. The authors identify compounds that distinguish the groups studied and discuss their possible systematic and ecological significance.
