The genus Cinnamomum

8 Indian Cassia
Akhil Baruah and Subhan C. Nath
Introduction
Indian cassia (known as tejpat in Hindi), is a small to moderately sized evergreen tree,
known botanically as Cinnamomum tamala Nees (Fig. 8.1). The leaf of this tree is a spice
having a warm, clove-like taste and a faintly pepper-like odour. It is very popular among
the people of northern India and since antiquity has been used as an essential flavouring
agent in the preparation of many vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. It holds in
Indian cookery the same status as that of ‘bay leaves’ (Laurus nobilis) in Europe.
C. tamala, occurring mostly in the tropical and sub-tropical Himalayas and extending
to north-east India up to an altitude of 2000 m, is the main source of the spice tejpat
which is commercialised. It also grows in Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. However,
whilst conducting an ethnofloristic census of Cinnamomum species in north-east India
during 1994–1997, Baruah and Nath (1998) came across the leaves of a total of five
taxa of Cinnamomum, (C. tamala, C. bejolghota, C. impressinervium, C. sulphuratum, and
one unknown Cinnamomum sp.) all used as the spice tejpat by the people in the region
(Baruah and Nath, 1998; Baruah et al., 2000). The essential oils of C. tamala collected
from different geographical locations have been investigated. Apart from the common
occurrence of eugenol type essential oil (Gulati, 1982), linalool, cinnamaldehyde and
linalool-cinnamaldehyde, predominating type oils from the leaves of the species have
also been reported (Gulati et al., 1977; Sood et al., 1979; Bradu and Sobti, 1988; Nath
et al., 1994b). Likewise, cinnamaldehyde and eugenol type essential oils have been
reported from C. impressinervium from different geographical origins (Kya and Min,
1970; Nath et al., 1994c). In contrast, linalool, citral-geraniol and methyl cinnamate
type oils have been reported from C. sulphuratum, another species native to north-east
India that is also used as tejpat (Nath et al., 1994a; Baruah et al., 1999, 2001). Only
linalool type essential oil has been reported so far from the leaf of C. bejolghota, another
species traded as tejpat (Baruah et al., 1997; Choudhury et al., 1998). The present
chapter will give brief accounts on C. tamala and other species used as Indian cassia or
tejpat in north and north-east India (for botanical aspects refer to Chapter 2).
C. tamala Nees and Eberm
See Chapter 2 for nomenclatural citation and botanical studies.
Based on the morphology of leaves, the population of tejpat growing in north-east
India has been classified into four types (Baruah et al., 2000), the details of which
are presented below. In addition to C. tamala, a few other species are also traded and
consumed as tejpat. Brief descriptions of these species are also provided.
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