Viola odorata
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643ffb326454b770414905 |
| Scientific name | Viola odorata |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 934 (1753) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
Suggest a correction!
Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Among several European herbal traditions, sweet violet is best known for its soothing demulent infusions. In the British Isles, fresh violet flowers are steeped in boiling water to make a gentle cough and throat tea, and in German-speaking Europe the same method is used for simple bronchial irritation; a similar cold-infusion of the leaves serves as a diuretic tea (Grieve, 1931; Chevallier, 1996). In France the flowers are prepared as a mild infusion and as a simple syrup to alleviate coughs (Chevallier, 1996). British herbalists also record poultices of fresh violet leaves applied to inflamed skin and bruises (Bremness, 1988). In old Austrian and southern German practice, decoctions of the leaves were taken as a diuretic tea, and the flower infusion was valued as a tonic for the mucous membranes (Madaus, 1938).
A practical preparation commonly cited is a mild violet flower infusion for coughs and dry throat. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons (roughly 2 to 4 g) of fresh violet flowers, pour 200 ml of just-boiled water over them, cover, and steep for 10 to 15 minutes; strain. Drink 1 cup up to three times daily for a short period. People with sensitivity to violet pollen should proceed cautiously, and the remedy is not advised during pregnancy or for very young children without professional guidance; do not mistake garden pansies for true sweet violet (Grieve, 1931; Chevallier, 1996).
The demulent action of these teas and syrups is plausibly related to the plant’s abundant mucilage and its content of saponins; violet flowers also contain anthocyanins that impart the characteristic blue-violet color (EMA/ESCOP, 2009). While different constituents are distributed unequally across the plant, these classes are consistently reported for this species and are consistent with soothing and mild expectorant effects traditionally attributed to flower infusions.
Sweet violet remains widely grown and appreciated in gardens, and its flowers are still used to flavor syrups and sweets in Europe; modern research continues to profile its mucilage-rich pharmacology, and fresh infusions, flower syrups, and soothing throat preparations can be found in contemporary herbal practice (EMA/ESCOP, 2009; Chevallier, 1996).
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- Candied violet petals
- Violet syrup
- Violet liqueur (e.g., Crème de Violette)
- Violet flavoring for ice cream, sorbets and confectionery
- Violet absolute (essential oil) used in perfumery
Industrial and craft applications:
- Dried petals and leaves used in potpourri and decorative dried‑flower arrangements
- Pressed flower art and craft projects using whole flowers
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
- Fresh leaves eaten raw in salads; occasionally cooked as a potherb
- Petals candied with sugar for confectionery garnish
- Syrup produced by extracting petals with sugar solution, used in cocktails, desserts and non‑alcoholic drinks
- Violet liqueur obtained by macerating petals in neutral spirit, giving a floral note to spirits and cocktails
Colorants and tanning:
- Petal extracts containing delphinidin‑based anthocyanins (E163) employed as natural violet food colourants in confectionery, beverages and baked goods
Fragrance and cosmetics:
- Violet absolute (solvent‑extracted from flowers) yields a characteristic sweet, woody‑floral scent dominated by ionones; used at ≤0.5 % in fine fragrances and scented cosmetics per IFRA guidelines
- The absolute is also incorporated into soaps, lotions and candles
Properties relevant to use:
- The petals contain substantial anthocyanins, mainly delphinidin derivatives, providing colour stability in acidic media
- The volatile fraction is dominated by ionone compounds, especially β‑ionone and α‑ionone, responsible for the characteristic fragrance
- Leaves contain mucilage and mild oxalic acid, influencing texture in culinary preparations
Standards and regulation:
- EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 lists violet colour (E163) as a permitted food additive
- IFRA standards limit the use of violet absolute in consumer products to 0.5 % for leave‑on applications
- USP monograph (USP‑NF) includes specifications for violet extract (density, refractive index, aldehyde content)
Sustainability and sourcing:
- Commercial supply is largely from cultivated fields in France, Italy and the United States; limited wild harvesting occurs in protected habitats under national conservation directives
- Sustainable practices include manual‑harvest of flowers to maintain plant regeneration and avoidance of over‑collection from protected sites
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Viola officinalis | Crantz | Inst. Rei Herb. 2: 431 (1766) |
| Viola odora | Neck. | Delic. Gallo-Belg. ii. 367. |
| Viola sarmentosa | M.Bieb. | Fl. Taur.-Caucas. 1: 172 (1808) |
| Viola propinqua | Jord. | Mém. Acad. Sci. Lyon, Sect. Sci. 1: 18 (1852) |
| Viola pirottae | Chiov. | Bull. Soc. Bot. Ital. 1893: 287 (1893) |
| Viola plantaginea | Webb ex Christ | Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 9: 96 (1887) |
| Viola pseudosuavis | Schur | Verh. Naturf. Vereins Brünn 15(2): 103 (1877) |
| Viola floribunda | Jord. | Mém. Acad. Sci. Lyon, Sect. Sci. 1: 19 (1852) |
| Viola cyclophylla | Gand. | Fl. Lyon. : 53 (1875) |
| Viola favratii | Hausskn. ex Favrat | Bull. Murith. Soc. Valais. Sci. Nat. 13-15: 61 (1887) |
| Viola maderensis | Lowe | Trans. Cambridge Philos. Soc. 4: 36 (1831) |
| Viola incompta | Jord. | Observ. Pl. Nouv. 7: 11 (1849) |
| Viola hortensis | Schur | Enum. Pl. Transsilv. : 82 (1866) |
| Viola jucunda | Jord. | Mém. Acad. Sci. Lyon, Sect. Sci. 1: 20 (1852) |
| Viola vinealis | Boreau | Fl. Centre France , ed. 3, 2: 75 (1857) |
| Viola vilmoriniana | Delacour & Mottet | Bull. Soc. Bot. France 46: 120 (1899) |
| Viola suavissima | Jord. | Mém. Acad. Sci. Lyon, Sect. Sci. 1: 21 (1852) |
| Viola subcarnea | Jord. | Mém. Acad. Sci. Lyon, Sect. Sci. 1: 17 (1852) |
| Viola sulfurea | Cariot | Étude Fl. , éd. 7, 2: 81 (1884) |
| Viola steveni | Besser ex Fauc. | Excurs. Bot. Valais : 96 (1872) |
| Viola spectabilis | K.Richt. | Oesterr. Bot. Z. 35: 419 (1885) |
| Viola suaveolens | Schur | Verh. Naturf. Vereins Brünn 15(2): 107 (1877) |
| Viola consimilis | Jord. | Mém. Acad. Sci. Lyon, Sect. Sci. 1: 18 (1852) |
| Viola austriaca | A.Kern. & Jos.Kern. | Ber. Naturwiss.-Med. Vereins Innsbruck 3: 71 (1872) |
| Viola wiedemannii | Boiss. | Fl. Orient. 1: 457 (1867) |
| Viola odorata subsp. maderensis | (Lowe) G.Kunkel | Cuad. Bot. Canaria 22: 28 (1974) |
| Viola odorata var. incompta | (Jord.) Espeut | Monde Pl. 464: 15 (1999) |
| Viola odorata var. albiflora | Pančić | Verh. Zool.-Bot. Vereins Wien 6: 505 (1856) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | sweet violet |
| English | common violet |
| English | english violet |
| English | florist's violet |
| English | garden violet |
| English | wood violet |
| English | florist’s violet |
| Spanish | violeta |
| Spanish | alhelí |
| Spanish | violeta acopada |
| Spanish | violeta aromática |
| Spanish | violeta blanca |
| Spanish | violeta común |
| Spanish | violeta de jardín |
| Spanish | violeta de olor |
| Spanish | violeta de olor o común |
| Spanish | violeta doble |
| Spanish | violeta olorosa |
| Spanish | violeta purpúrea |
| Spanish | violeta verdadera |
| Spanish | violetas |
| Spanish | violetones |
| Spanish | viroletas |
| Spanish | violeta purpurea |
| Spanish | violeta aromatica |
| Spanish | violeta comun |
| Spanish | violeta de olor o comun |
| ab | Ааҵрахәшә |
| ang | aeppelleaf |
| ang | Æppellēaf |
| Arabic | بنفسج عطري |
| Arabic | بنفسج |
| Arabic | البنفسج الحلو |
| Arabic | بنفسج الزهور |
| Arabic | بنفسج العطور |
| Azerbaijani | Ətirli bənövşə |
| azb | عطیرلی بنؤوشه |
| Belarusian | фіялка духмяная |
| Belarusian | фіялка пахучая |
| Bulgarian | Горска теменуга |
| Bulgarian | Миризлива горска теменуга |
| Catalan | violeta |
| Catalan | violer d'olor |
| Czech | violka vonná |
| Welsh | fioled bêr |
| Danish | marts-viol |
| Danish | martsviol |
| German | duftveilchen |
| German | märz-veilchen |
| German | märzveilchen |
| German | wohlriechendes veilchen |
| Greek | Ίον το εύοσμον |
| Esperanto | odora violo |
| Estonian | lõhnav kannike |
| Basque | bioleta usaindun |
| Persian | بنفشه انگلیسی |
| Finnish | tuoksuorvokki |
| French | violette odorante |
| Irish | sailchuach chumhra |
| grc | ἴον |
| Hebrew | סיגלית |
| Hebrew | סגל ריחני |
| Hebrew | סיגל ריחני |
| Hindi | बनफ्शा |
| Upper Sorbian | wonjata fijałka |
| Hungarian | illatos ibolya |
| Armenian | Մանուշակ բուրավետ |
| Indonesian | bunga violet |
| Japanese | ヴァイオレット |
| Japanese | ニオイスミレ |
| Kazakh | Хош иісті шегіргүл |
| ks | آنجٲرؠ نوٗنہٕ پوش |
| Cornish | melion melyseth |
| Lithuanian | kvapioji našlaitė |
| Norwegian Bokmål | marsfiol |
| nds | viool |
| nds | blaag Ööschen |
| nds | blage Öschen |
| nds | vijole |
| nds | vijölken |
| nds | vijool |
| nds | vijöölken |
| nds | vioileke |
| nds | viölke |
| nds | viölken |
| nds | viölkes |
| nds | vioolkruut |
| Dutch | maarts viooltje |
| Norwegian Nynorsk | marsfiol |
| os | Хæрздæф æрвдзæст |
| Polish | fiołek wonny |
| Romanian | toporaş |
| Romanian | toporaș |
| Russian | Фиалка душистая |
| sd | بنفشہ |
| Slovak | fialka voňavá |
| Slovenian | dišeča vijolica |
| Slovenian | vijolica |
| Swedish | luktviol |
| Turkish | kokulu menekşe |
| Ukrainian | Фіалка запашна |
| Urdu | گل بنفشہ |
| Chinese | 香堇菜 |
Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Viola odorata subsp. stolonifera | (J.J.Rodr.) Orell & Romo | Butl. Inst. Catalana Hist. Nat., Secc. Bot. 59(8): 83 (1991) |
Varieties (abbr. var.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Viola odorata var. barraui | O.Bolòs & Vigo | Butl. Inst. Catalana Hist. Nat., Secc. Bot. 38(1): 80 (1974) |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!| Sow seeds at 20°C, expecting germination within 3 months without further temperature treatment. |
| Germination Improved by GA3: Gibberellic Acid(GA3) is a plant growth hormone that can break dormancy and improve germination rates for seeds that are otherwise difficult to sprout. |
| Sow seeds immediately as their viability decreases rapidly, or they best germinate when fresh. If stored, seeds might need temperature cycling and patience to germinate. |
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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Macaronesia
- Azores
- Canary Islands
- Madeira
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Northern Africa
- Algeria
- Morocco
- Tunisia
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Macaronesia
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Asia-temperate click to expand
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Caucasus
- North Caucasus
- Transcaucasus
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China
- China North-central
- China Southeast
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Eastern Asia
- Japan
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Middle Asia
- Kazakhstan
- Tadzhikistan
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Western Asia
- Cyprus
- East Aegean Islands
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon-Syria
- Palestine
- Turkey
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Caucasus
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indian Subcontinent
- Assam
- India
- Pakistan
- West Himalaya
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Indo-China
- Myanmar
- Vietnam
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Indian Subcontinent
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Australasia click to expand
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Australia
- New South Wales
- Tasmania
- Victoria
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Australia
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Europe click to expand
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Eastern Europe
- Baltic States
- Belarus
- Central European Russia
- East European Russia
- Krym
- Northwest European Russia
- South European Russia
- Ukraine
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Middle Europe
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czechoslovakia
- Germany
- Hungary
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Switzerland
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Northern Europe
- Denmark
- Finland
- Great Britain
- Ireland
- Norway
- Sweden
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Southeastern Europe
- Albania
- Bulgaria
- Greece
- Italy
- Kriti
- Romania
- Sicilia
- Turkey-in-Europe
- Yugoslavia
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Southwestern Europe
- Baleares
- Corse
- France
- Portugal
- Sardegna
- Spain
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Eastern Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Eastern Canada
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Québec
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Mexico
- Mexico Central
- Mexico Southwest
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North-central U.S.A.
- Illinois
- Wisconsin
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Northeastern U.S.A.
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
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Northwestern U.S.A.
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Oregon
- Washington
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Maryland
- North Carolina
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Southwestern U.S.A.
- California
- Utah
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Western Canada
- British Columbia
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Eastern Canada
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Southern America click to expand
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Caribbean
- Bermuda
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
- Leeward Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Trinidad-Tobago
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Central America
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Panamá
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Northern South America
- Venezuela
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Southern South America
- Argentina Northeast
- Argentina Northwest
- Argentina South
- Chile Central
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Western South America
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Peru
-
Caribbean
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000423364 |
| UNII | AET12U8B74 |
| Canadensys | 9500 |
| USDA Plants | VIOD |
| Tropicos | 33800067 |
| INPN | 129632 |
| Flora of Italy | 3161 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:868828-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2459312 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 1039231 |
| Observations.org | 7652 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 97441 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000002924 |
| Nature Serve | 2.144557 |
| IPNI | 868828-1 |
| iNaturalist | 55845 |
| GBIF | 5331181 |
| Freebase | /m/02_mks |
| WisFlora | 5396 |
| EPPO | VIOOD |
| EOL | 584573 |
| Elurikkus | 8208 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 8298 |
| USDA GRIN | 41733 |
| Wikipedia | Viola_odorata |
| CMAUP | NPO27594 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
Below is displayed the reference genome only!
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
| Accession | Assembly | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Level | Submitter | Released | Coverage | Size | |
| GCA_963691705.1 | ddVioOdor1.1 | Chromosome | WELLCOME SANGER INSTITUTE | 2023-12-06 | 57 | 666.26 Mb |
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| 3-O-Acetyloleanolic Acid | 151202 | Click to see | 498.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 3beta-Acetoxy-11alpha,12alpha-epoxyoleanan-28,13beta-olide | 21626351 | Click to see CC(=O)OC1CCC2(C(C1(C)C)CCC3(C2C4C(O4)C56C3(CCC7(C5CC(CC7)(C)C)C(=O)O6)C)C)C | 512.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| beta-Sitosteryl palmitate | 9852570 | Click to see CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC(=O)OC1CCC2(C3CCC4(C(C3CC=C2C1)CCC4C(C)CCC(CC)C(C)C)C)C | 653.10 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Betulinic Acid | 64971 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Lupeol | 259846 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C | 426.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Oleanolic Acid | 10494 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| (-)-beta-Sitosterol | 222284 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Sitogluside | 5742590 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C(C)C | 576.80 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / 6-prenylated flavans / 6-prenylated flavanones | |||||
| 4H-1-Benzopyran-4-one, 2,3-dihydro-5,7-dihydroxy-8-methyl-6-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-2-phenyl-, (S)- | 179806 | Click to see | 338.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 6-Prenylpinocembrin | 6546086 | Click to see CC(=CCC1=C(C2=C(C=C1O)OC(CC2=O)C3=CC=CC=C3)O)C | 324.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / 8-prenylated flavans / 8-prenylated flavanones | |||||
| (2S)-5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-8-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | 14721597 | Click to see | 338.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2S)-5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6-methyl-8-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | 16099396 | Click to see | 368.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2S)-5,7-dihydroxy-6-methyl-8-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | 102154219 | Click to see | 338.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (S)-5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-8-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)chroman-4-one | 45272659 | Click to see CC(=CCC1=C2C(=C(C=C1O)O)C(=O)CC(O2)C3=CC=C(C=C3)OC)C | 354.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Glabranin | 124049 | Click to see | 324.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / 6-prenylated flavones | |||||
| (4R)-4,5-dihydroxy-8-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,2-dimethyl-3,4-dihydropyrano[3,2-g]chromen-6-one | 102154220 | Click to see CC1(CC(C2=C(O1)C=C3C(=C2O)C(=O)C=C(O3)C4=CC=C(C=C4)O)O)C | 354.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |