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Western Ghats and is more confined to the Nilgiris,
Silent Valley-Kodagu area (Nayar M.P., 1996). The
Nilgiris -Silent Valley, Kodagu area covers 12800 sq.
km hold about 150 endemic species. Some other
endemic species of Cinnamomum occurring in this
area are: Cinnamomum walaiwarnese, C. heyneanum, C.
filipedicellatum, C. keralense, C. macrocarpum, C.
riparium, C. travancoricum and C. wightii.
Cultural, Medicinal and Economic Value
The aromatic leaves are used to make a special kind
of leafy bowl for preparing a traditional food item
'Therali” for the blessing of the Goddess
“Bhadrakali”. Another delicious food “Ada” is also
prepared in the leaves of this species. Fumigation
of flower is an important ritual in tribal customs.
Number of individuals using Cinnamomum
malabathrum for various purposes
8
2
Tribes using Cinnamomum malabatrum
for various purpose (in %)
1
4
Number of individuals using Cinnamomum
malabathrum for various purposes
8
2
1
4
20
20
Domestic purposes
Medicinal uses
Comercial uses
Religious practices
Not used
The plant is used by the Kani Tribe in
Agasthyamala region for alleviating stomach pain,
digestion problems as well as for treating wounds,
fever, intestinal worms, headaches and menstrual
problems. The aromatic bark of the tree is much
extracted for medicinal purposes. The bark is
known to be astringent, laxative, stimulant, and
carminative, antispasmodic. Bark is used as a
flavouring agent in medicine (Krishnamurthy,
1993). Bark is also used as condiment. Oil from
leaves called “clove oil” is used against teeth ache,
headache and rheumatism. Muduga people used the
leaves for teeth cleaning.
The highly aromatic bark and leaves of the species
are widely exploited for the commercial extraction
of volatile oils used in perfumery industry. The
bark is also used to make inscent sticks. The
immature fruits are used as a raw material in paint
industries. Bark is used for the preparation of
match boxes (Nair and Nair, 1985). Flower is used
for fumigation.
Conservation efforts
Domestic purposes
Cinnamomum malabatrum flowers during December -
March Medicinal and mature uses fruits are during June- August.
The seeds are dispersed mainly by birds away to
distance Comercial where they uses germinate in rainy season. For
artificial regeneration of C. malabatrum, ripen fruits
collected Religious and they practices are to be soaked in water for 12-
24 hrs Not before used sowing. In the nursery, seeds are
either broadcast sown or dibbled in manured beds
watered regularly. The seedlings can be pricked out
in to polythene bags when they are six months old.
The percentage of germination of C. malabatrum as
per above method was 87.15 % (Fig.1). 1743
seedlings were raised and distributed.
14