The genus Cinnamomum

15 Other Useful Species of Cinnamomum
M. Shylaja, P.N. Ravindran and K. Nirmal Babu
Introduction
Though only cinnamon (C. verum) and cassias (Chinese, Indonesian and Indian) are of
commercial importance, there are other species that yield aromatic oils and are of local
importance, both as spice and as an ingredient of local medicine. The types of spices
and herbs used by the forest tribes and local people, are often known only by them.
Cinnamomum is a large genus and consists of around 450 species, and many of them may
have some localised use. Little is known about these species, although some have been
studied in more detail. The following is a brief consideration of those species with
economic value, other than the cinnamon and cassias.
C. angustifolium Rafin
C. angustifolium Rafinesque, Sylv. Tellur.135, 1838; Merrill, Index Rafin. 127, 1949:
It is a species occurring in Madagascar. Chalchat and Valade (2000) analysed the leaf oil
of this species and obtained 39 compounds. The percentage composition of the various
compounds is given in Table 15.1. This species has a high proportion of hydrocarbons
in its leaf oil, with -phellandrene and p-cymene the most prominent.
C. bejolghota (Buch-Ham) Sweet (syn. C. obtusifolium Nees)
C. bejolghota (Buch-Ham) Sweet, Hort. Brit. Ed 1:334, 1827; Balak, Fl. Jowai 2:407,
1983; Haridasan and Rao, Forest Fl. Meghalaya 2:720, 1987; Laurus bejolghota
Buch-Ham. in Trans. Linn-Soc. 13:559, 1822; L.obtusifolia (Roxb.) Nees in Wall. As.
Rar 2:73, 1831; HKf. Fl.Brit. India. 5: 128, 1886; Gamble, Man. Indian Timbers, 561,
1902; Brandis, Ind. Trees 533, 716. 1906; Kanjilal et al. Fl.Assam, 4:56, 1940.
Baruah et al. (2000) found that the leaves of this species are also traded and used as
tejpat. This is a moderate sized evergreen tree, attaining a height of 6–7 m, leaf buds
silky tomentose, leaves aromatic, glabrous above, sparsely hairy beneath, narrowly
elliptic-obovate-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, triplinerved, lateral veins ascending to
the tip. Panicle pseudoterminal, axillary to solitary, lax-flowered, purple brown to pale
brown, minutely pubescent, shorter or equal to the leaves, up to 10 cm in length,
longer at fruiting stage, up to 25 cm. Flowers 6–7 mm long, perianth 3 3, subequal,
oblong-lanceolate, silky tomentose on both surfaces. Floral structure is similar to other
species. Occurrence is not as common as other species in the eastern Himalayas and
Myanmar.
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