Re: Iris fragrance... sort of.
iris@hort.net
  • Subject: Re: Iris fragrance... sort of.
  • From: L* M* <l*@lock-net.com>
  • Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 07:00:03 -0400
Paul, unfortunately, there is a huge variation in people's ability to detect different smells, apparently genetic. There's quite a bit about it on the web.
So the hybridizer in question may not be able to detect the aroma you describe. Or olfactory receptors may translate it quite differently.
Several years ago, a friend, his wife and her mother came to visit during bloom season. The mother & daughter could detect scents that were just not there for me & my friend. I've since noticed in comparing fragrances with club members at shows that I don't have a very discerning sniffer. I can detect strong sweet grape scent, vanilla, and the cat pee ones, but not a lot beyond that. 

http://andreaskeller.squarespace.com/variability-of-perception


There are hundreds of different receptor molecules that bind odors in the human nose. Each type of receptor is encoded by a single gene and the family of genes encoding for odor receptors is the biggest family in the human genome.
Most interesting tidbit that turned up while I was hunting for a good reference for you is that some? of the genes involved in the immune system are the same ones involved in sense of smell. 

Linda Mann
east TN USA zone 7
where bloom was so heavy this year that even I could detect fragrance just standing near the iris patch. 

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