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Useful Tropical Plants

Cinnamomum parthenoxylon

(Jack) Meisn.

Lauraceae

+ Synonyms

Camphora chinensis Nees

Camphora inuncta Nees

Camphora parthenoxylon (Jacq.) Nees

Camphora porrecta Voigt

Camphora pseudosassafras Miq.

Cinnamomum inunctum (Nees) Meisn.

Cinnamomum malaccense Meisn.

Cinnamomum neesianum Meisn.

Cinnamomum porrectum (Roxb.) Kosterm.

Cinnamomum pseudosassafras Meisn.

Laurus parthenoxylon Jack

Laurus porrecta Roxb.

Laurus pruinosa Reinw. ex Blume

Parthenoxylon porrectum (Roxb.) Blume

Persea pseudosassafras Zoll. & Moritzi

Phoebe latifolia Champ. ex Benth.

Sassafras loureiroi Kostel.

Sassafras parthenoxylon (Jack) Nees

Tetranthera camphoracea Wall. ex Meisn.

Common Name:

Cinnamomum parthenoxylon
Ripening fruit
Photograph by: A. Gentry
Creative Commons License

General Information

Cinnamomum parthenoxylon is a tall evergreen tree that can eventually grow up to 45 metres tall[
334
Title
Flora of Peninsula Malaysia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.tfbc.frim.gov.my
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
In the process of being assembled (15/07/09), it is currently a series of check sheets giving species name, brief description, habitat and high quality photos of the plants.
], though it is usually more in the range 10 - 20 metres[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. The bole is usually up to 40cm in diameter, exceptionally to 92cm[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
653
Title
Plants of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.asianplant.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Excellent site with brief information on the plant, its range, habitat and uses, plus phots of specimens, close-ops of flowers and leaves etc,
].
The tree is commonly harvested from the wild as a source of essential oils and flavourings, whilst also being the source of a fixed oil and a good quality wood. Many of these products are traded, and the tree is sometimes cultivated as a spice in gardens in southern China[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].
In Vietnam, although the species occurs commonly in areas of evergreen rainforest in the north, exploitation of the roots for their commercial essence has caused severe population declines, resulting in the species being classified as 'Critically Endangered' at a national level[
884
Title
The World List of Threatened Trees
Publication
 
Author
Oldfield S.; Lusty C.; and MacKinven A.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
World Conservation Press; Cambridge UK
Year
1998
ISBN
1-899628-10 X
Description
A list of the trees on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Plant Species in 1998, often giving some information on habitat and the reasons for being on the list. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Over the whole range of this species, however, there is insufficient information to give an accurate assessment of the plant's status. The plant is classified as 'Data Deficient' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

E. Asia - southern China, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia

Habitat

A mid-canopy tree in undisturbed to disturbed mixed dipterocarp and sub-montane forests; usually on hillsides and ridges with sandy to clay soils, but also on ultrabasic and limestone; at elevations up to 1,700 metres[
653
Title
Plants of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.asianplant.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Excellent site with brief information on the plant, its range, habitat and uses, plus phots of specimens, close-ops of flowers and leaves etc,
].

Properties

Conservation StatusData Deficient
Edibility Rating *  *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height20.00 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Cinnamomum parthenoxylon is a plant of tropical areas, where it can be found at elevations up to 2,000 metres, occasionally ascending to 3,000 metres. It grows in regions with all-year rainfall and sometimes also in regions with a distinct dry season[
384
Title
Strategies for the Sustaibable Use and Management of Timber Trees - SE Asia.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/forest/timber/workshops/pdf/SEAsia_2007_V2.pdf
Publisher
UNEP; Cambridge, UK.
Year
2007
ISBN
 
Description
A draft document in PDF format, available on the Internet. It gives brief details on habitat, uses etc of over 100 species of trees from SE Aia.
].
Succeeds on both fertile and poor soils[
384
Title
Strategies for the Sustaibable Use and Management of Timber Trees - SE Asia.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/forest/timber/workshops/pdf/SEAsia_2007_V2.pdf
Publisher
UNEP; Cambridge, UK.
Year
2007
ISBN
 
Description
A draft document in PDF format, available on the Internet. It gives brief details on habitat, uses etc of over 100 species of trees from SE Aia.
].
Plants can be coppiced[
384
Title
Strategies for the Sustaibable Use and Management of Timber Trees - SE Asia.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/forest/timber/workshops/pdf/SEAsia_2007_V2.pdf
Publisher
UNEP; Cambridge, UK.
Year
2007
ISBN
 
Description
A draft document in PDF format, available on the Internet. It gives brief details on habitat, uses etc of over 100 species of trees from SE Aia.
].

Edible Uses

The aromatic bark is used as a flavouring[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
653
Title
Plants of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.asianplant.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Excellent site with brief information on the plant, its range, habitat and uses, plus phots of specimens, close-ops of flowers and leaves etc,
].

Medicinal

The wood contains the essential oil safrol, which is used medicinally[
384
Title
Strategies for the Sustaibable Use and Management of Timber Trees - SE Asia.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/forest/timber/workshops/pdf/SEAsia_2007_V2.pdf
Publisher
UNEP; Cambridge, UK.
Year
2007
ISBN
 
Description
A draft document in PDF format, available on the Internet. It gives brief details on habitat, uses etc of over 100 species of trees from SE Aia.
].
The wood of this species is one of the three ingredietns of a popular Thai rejuvenative and blood tonic known as 'TriSuraPhon'. The other two ingredients are the wood of Aquilaria crassna and the bark of Cinnamomum bejolghota. The tonic is said to have a wide range of beneficial effects upon the general health, the individual components having been credited with diverse beneficial properties including antioxidant, anti-ischemic, antimicrobial, anticancer, hypoglycaemic, and hypolipidemic[
1377
Title
Improved Lipid Profile Associated with Daily Consumption of Tri-Sura-Phon in Healthy Overweight Volunteers: An Open-
Publication
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 2017, Article ID 2687173, 9 pages
Author
Sirigoon Kuamsub et al
Website
https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/2687173
Publisher
 
Year
2017
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. Trials have shown that this tonic can help to normalize lipid levels in overweight individuals, also reducing highly atherogenic LDLC levels and increasing beneficial HDL-C levels[
1377
Title
Improved Lipid Profile Associated with Daily Consumption of Tri-Sura-Phon in Healthy Overweight Volunteers: An Open-
Publication
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 2017, Article ID 2687173, 9 pages
Author
Sirigoon Kuamsub et al
Website
https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/2687173
Publisher
 
Year
2017
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

The roots are used in the treatment of fevers and during childbirth[
384
Title
Strategies for the Sustaibable Use and Management of Timber Trees - SE Asia.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/forest/timber/workshops/pdf/SEAsia_2007_V2.pdf
Publisher
UNEP; Cambridge, UK.
Year
2007
ISBN
 
Description
A draft document in PDF format, available on the Internet. It gives brief details on habitat, uses etc of over 100 species of trees from SE Aia.
]. They are used as a tonic after childbirth[
1372
Title
Taxonomic revision of Cinnamomum (Lauraceae) in Borneo
Publication
Blumea 56, 2011: 241-264
Author
Soh Wuu-Kuang
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651911X615168
Publisher
 
Year
2011
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

The bark is used as a tonic for relieving menstruation problems[
1372
Title
Taxonomic revision of Cinnamomum (Lauraceae) in Borneo
Publication
Blumea 56, 2011: 241-264
Author
Soh Wuu-Kuang
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651911X615168
Publisher
 
Year
2011
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Other Uses

The roots, bark, wood, and leafy branchlets contain essential oil and camphor[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. The bark (probably referring to the essential oil) is used as a scent for soaps[
1372
Title
Taxonomic revision of Cinnamomum (Lauraceae) in Borneo
Publication
Blumea 56, 2011: 241-264
Author
Soh Wuu-Kuang
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651911X615168
Publisher
 
Year
2011
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The wood contains safrol, which is used in perfumery and in medicine[
384
Title
Strategies for the Sustaibable Use and Management of Timber Trees - SE Asia.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/forest/timber/workshops/pdf/SEAsia_2007_V2.pdf
Publisher
UNEP; Cambridge, UK.
Year
2007
ISBN
 
Description
A draft document in PDF format, available on the Internet. It gives brief details on habitat, uses etc of over 100 species of trees from SE Aia.
,
653
Title
Plants of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.asianplant.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Excellent site with brief information on the plant, its range, habitat and uses, plus phots of specimens, close-ops of flowers and leaves etc,
].

The fruit kernel contains oil and fat (up to 60%), which are used in soap manufacture[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

The heartwood is orange-red with black streaks; the sapwood is whitish or brownish[
719
Title
A Manual of the Timbers of the World
Publication
 
Author
Howard A.L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
MacMillan and Co.; London.
Year
1934
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent and comprehensive book on timbers. Rather dated, but still a main source of information for many of the less known woods. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is resistant to insect attack because of its pronounced and persistent smell[
1372
Title
Taxonomic revision of Cinnamomum (Lauraceae) in Borneo
Publication
Blumea 56, 2011: 241-264
Author
Soh Wuu-Kuang
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651911X615168
Publisher
 
Year
2011
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. It possesses all the necessary characteristics of a first-rate wood which will stand well under any conditions without warping or twisting. It is used for house-building and for shingles, and is suitable for cabinet-making It possesses a slight, pleasant aromatic scent[
719
Title
A Manual of the Timbers of the World
Publication
 
Author
Howard A.L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
MacMillan and Co.; London.
Year
1934
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent and comprehensive book on timbers. Rather dated, but still a main source of information for many of the less known woods. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The wood is finely grained and used for furniture making and cabinet work, construction, flooring, utensils and wood carving[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
384
Title
Strategies for the Sustaibable Use and Management of Timber Trees - SE Asia.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/forest/timber/workshops/pdf/SEAsia_2007_V2.pdf
Publisher
UNEP; Cambridge, UK.
Year
2007
ISBN
 
Description
A draft document in PDF format, available on the Internet. It gives brief details on habitat, uses etc of over 100 species of trees from SE Aia.
,
653
Title
Plants of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.asianplant.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Excellent site with brief information on the plant, its range, habitat and uses, plus phots of specimens, close-ops of flowers and leaves etc,
].
There are a number of tree species (including this one) from Peninsular Malaysia that are in the family Lauraceae and produce a useful timber that is either not distinct enough in itself, or is in insufficient supply, to warrant being traded individually. These various species have been lumped together under the trade name ‘medang’[
384
Title
Strategies for the Sustaibable Use and Management of Timber Trees - SE Asia.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/forest/timber/workshops/pdf/SEAsia_2007_V2.pdf
Publisher
UNEP; Cambridge, UK.
Year
2007
ISBN
 
Description
A draft document in PDF format, available on the Internet. It gives brief details on habitat, uses etc of over 100 species of trees from SE Aia.
].
We do not have any more specific information about the wood from this species, but a general description of medang timber is as follows:-
The heartwood is very variable, from light-straw to red-brown and olive brown; the sapwood is ill-defined. The texture is moderately fine but even; the grain interlocked or wavy; the surface dull. The wood is not durable. It is easy to slightly difficult to resaw, and easy to moderately easy to cross-cut; easy to plane and the surface produced is smooth to moderately smooth. It is suitable for decorative work such as interior finishing, panelling, furniture and cabinet making. It is also suitable for plywood manufacture, whilst the heavier species are suitable for medium construction under cover[
895
Title
Timber Notes - Light Hardwoods II
Publication
Timber Technology Bulletin No. 10
Author
Gan K.S.; Lim S.C.; Choo K.T.
Publisher
Forest Research Institute; Malaysia
Year
1998
ISBN
139-258
Description
Part of an excellent series of publications, this one giving a brief guide to five lesser known groups of light hardwoods from southeast Asia. It is available in PDF format on the Internet.
].

Propagation

Seed - the seed of species in this genus generally has a short viability and is best sown as soon in containers as it is ripe[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Remove the fruit pulp since this can inhibit germination[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Soaking the seeds for 24 hours in lukewarm water hastens germination[
303
Title
World Agroforesty Centre
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
], which can take 1 - 6 months at 20°c[
164
Title
Growing from Seed. Volume 4.
Publication
 
Author
Bird. R. (Editor)
Publisher
Thompson and Morgan.
Year
1990
ISBN
-
Description
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
]. The germination rate of fresh seed is about 50%, falling to 25% for seed 6 months old, and zero for those 1 year old[
303
Title
World Agroforesty Centre
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
]. Stored seed should be sown as soon as possible in containers[
78
Title
Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
Publication
 
Author
Sheat. W. G.
Publisher
MacMillan and Co
Year
1948
ISBN
-
Description
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions when 10cm or more tall.
Cuttings of semi-ripe side shoots, 7cm with a heel, in a frame with bottom heat[
78
Title
Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
Publication
 
Author
Sheat. W. G.
Publisher
MacMillan and Co
Year
1948
ISBN
-
Description
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cinnamomum+parthenoxylon>

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