Commercial orris roots are obtained mainly from the Dalmatian iris (Iris pallidaLam.) cultivated around Florence, though the rhizomes of Iris germanica L., cultivated in Morocco, and Iris florentina L. can be used as well to produce orris root oil.
The absolute is a water-white or pale
yellow oily liquid with a delicate, sweet, floral-woody odour.
Apart from varying amounts of methyl and ethyl myristate (1:1), orris root oil contains (+)-cis-𝛼-irone (39%), (−)-trans-𝛼-irone (16%), (+)-𝛽-irone (2%), (+)-cis-𝛾-irone (43%), and trace amounts of (+)-trans-𝛾-irone.
Orris absolute is a highly aromatic and expensive essential oil that is extracted from the roots of the iris plant (Iris germanica and Iris pallida). The oil has a rich, woody, and floral aroma with a hint of violet, and is commonly used in perfumes, cosmetics, and soaps.
