Treemoss Concrète

#### Treemoss Concrète. See also **Oakmoss**. The lichens, **Evernia Furfuracea **and **Usnea Barbata**, known as treemoss, firmoss or pinemoss grow on the trunks and branches of spruces and firs in the humid parts of the forests in central and southern Europe (France, Italy, Spain, Morocco, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia). The curing and extraction of tree-moss is quite similar to that of oakmoss as described under the **Oakmoss **monograph. However, although the yield of extract is larger in the case of treemoss, the quality is considered much inferior. The trade has become accustomed to the fact that "Oakmoss" products are mixtures of oakmoss and treemoss products (with the exception of a few European oakmoss extracts from factories who claim the use of botanically pure oakmoss), and that true oakmoss products, obtained exclusively from **Evernia Prunastri **are very rare (with the above exceptions). Accordingly, a description of the two individual products may serve as a lead in the evaluation of so-called oakmoss products. **Treemoss Concrète **is a solid mass at room temperature. The benzene extraction product is dark brown or greenish brown, while the petroleum ether extract is dark brown and usually is just about pourable at room temperature, or it may be a sticky mass. The odor of these extracts is more woody and tar-like than that of the oak- moss extract, and they usually lack the delicate topnote, the fresh "seashore"- or seaweed-like note which is so characteristic of true oakmoss (and of seaweed extract!). The chemical composition of treemoss is distinctly different from that of oakmoss, particularly in that the former does not contain evernic acid or related compounds. The chemical composition also varies according to the solvent used and the extraction method applied in the production of the concrète. **Treemoss**** ****Resin**** **(so-called) is obtained by direct *hot *alcohol extraction of the treemoss, as described under **Oakmoss**. It is a *chemical *and physical derivative of treemoss, not directly representative of the natural botanical with respect to odor and composition. The ethyl alcohol reacts with the acids in the moss during the reflux and forms various esters. These have a significant influence upon the odor of the extract. **Treemoss Concrète **and **Treemoss "Resin" **are used in soap perfumery for their excellent fixative effect and pleasant woody-forest-like note which blends well with coumarin, rosemary, lavandin, amyl salicylate, isobornyl acetate, geranium oil, cedarwood oils and derivatives, clove and nutmeg oils, pine needle oils, lavandin concrète, etc. The cost of treemoss being lower than oakmoss, it is more generally applicable, but its lack of fineness limits its use to the more robust perfume types. The annual world production of treemoss concrète can only be estimated very approximately to *25 *or 30 metric tons.