Estragole (4-allylanisole) is the primary compound in volatiles emitted from the male and female cones of Cycas revoluta

The genus Cycas (Cycadaceae; gymnosperm) have circumstantially been considered to be wind-pollinated. The cones of Cycas revoluta Thunb., however, emit a strong unpleasant odor. The chemical profiles of floral scents often correlate with various pollination modes (pollinators). We collected and analyzed the volatiles emitted from male and female cones of C. revoluta native to Iriomote and Yonaguni Islands, Japan. The analyses indicated that estragole (4-allylanisole) dominated in the volatiles (67.0–92.7%), with small amounts of other benzenoids, e.g., anethole, methyl salicylate, methyl eugenol, and ethyl benzoate. Several fatty acid esters were also detected in the samples from Iriomote Island. The function of estragole in the reproductive biology of C. revoluta is discussed.