The Australian brown boronia, Boronia megastigma. The plant is harvested in August to October, with oil extraction by solvent distillation.
It has an intense flowery aroma and is highly prized as an additive in expensive perfumes. It is also used as a flavour enhancer.
There are many constituents to the oil and aroma, one of the main
being beta-ionone. Many of the compounds making up the oils are dedraded carotenoids.
This group of chemicals are closely related to vitamin A and to retinoic acid
- the visual pigment used in the back of the eye to translate photons to nervous
signals - the basis of eyesight.
The University of Tasmania through Prof R Menary has been crucial to improving yields from the plants towards the oils.
Many chemicals are also related to those of the Lavender oils - Linalools and such.
beta-ionone C13H20O
beta-ionol C13H22O
(Z)-methyl jasmonate C13H20O3
Reference: http://www.leffingwell.com/boronia.htm
