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Useful Tropical Plants

Clausena anisum-olens

(Blanco) Merr.

Rutaceae


At least one modern treatment (The Plant List) treats this species as no more than a synonym of Clausena sanki (Perr.) Molino[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

+ Synonyms

Clausena grandifolia Merr.

Clausena laxifolia Quisumb. & Merr.

Clausena loheri Merr.

Clausena todayensis Elmer

Clausena warburgii Perkins

Cookia anisum-olens Blanco

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Clausena anisum-olens is an aromatic, evergreen shrub or small tree growing up to 15 metres tall, though usually much smaller[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. All parts of the plant emit a strong anise or anise-like smell when crushed[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The plant is gathered from the wild and also occasionally cultivated for medicinal use and as a flavouring. It is sold in local markets[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

728
Title
Adansonia Vol. 16
Publication
Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle Tome 16
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris.
Year
1994
ISBN
0240-8937
Description
A botanical magazine containing a range of articles, including a revision of a section of the genus Danais. It can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

Southeast Asia - southern China, Philippines and Borneo.

Habitat

In the understorey of rainforest, on various soil types (including limestone), up to elevations of 1,500 metres[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height10.00 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the humid, lowland tropics, growing best at elevations below 500 metres[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. It grows well with an annual seasonal rainfall of around 2,000 mm, a maximum temperatures of about 30°c and minimum of about 20°c throughout the year[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Succeeds on poor, acid soils with a pH as low as 4.0[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
At high planting densities, all leaves above a height of 0.8 - 1 metre can be harvested 2 - 4 times per year.
Trees should be maintained at about 1 metre height by means of post-harvest prunings. Frequency and timing of harvests should be guided by the rate of regrowth and depend on the availability of water. When water and nutrient requirements are met, leaf production is highest under unshaded conditions[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The first harvest can be 1 year after grafting on 2 - 4-year-old rootstocks[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]
The first year, a single harvest amounts to 0.6 - 1 kg leaves per tree. In the second year 1.7 - 2.2 kg are collected in two harvests. In subsequent years a tree yields 2.5 - 4 kg leaves annually, independent of the frequency of harvesting[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
After harvesting the leaves it is recommended to extract the oil as soon as possible. Fermentation of the leaves should absolutely be avoided because it leads to production of unpleasant notes in the essential oil[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Oil yield is 1.6 - 2 kg oil from 100 kg fresh leaves. Preliminary estimates for production of essential oil per ha suggest that yields of 350 - 750 kg per year may be possible[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Edible Uses

The leaves are used as a condiment in preparing local dishes and beverages and to flavour cigarettes[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

The essential oil from the leaves is a potential substitute of anise oil, e.g. for the preparation of the Philippine drink 'Anisado'[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Medicinal

A decoction of leaves is used in the treatment of nausea during pregnancy[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].
The leaves are stuffed into pillows as an aid to sleeping[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. They are said to have a soporific effect[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
]. The leaves are also used in baths against rheumatism[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

A decoction of the roots and fruits is used in the treatment of coughs with fever[
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].

Other Uses

On steam distillation or alcoholic extraction, the leaves yield 1 - 3.5% essential oil[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. The oil is a mobile pale-yellow liquid with an odour similar to that of star-anise oil[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. The essential oil has potential use as a cheap source of natural anethol. It could compete not only with star-anise and anise oils in food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries, but also with semi-synthetic anethol, a by-product of the turpentine-oil industry in the United States, in soaps, detergents and cosmetics[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Clausena+anisum-olens>

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