The genus Cinnamomum

cloves. Leaves measure 3–12 1.5–4 cm, lanceolate or oval to subovate to lanceolate,
gradually tapered, obtuse or shortly accuminate, base cuneate, rigidly coriaceous,
glabrous, smooth and glossy. Leaves are pinnately veined, midrib slender, prominent on
both surfaces, lateral veins four to eight pairs, scarcely visible above, obscurely visible
beneath, two subbasal veins at times reaching one-third of the length of lamina.
Panicles 8–10 cm long, axillary on long peduncle. Flowers greenish-white, sericeous,
tube short, tepals 3 mm long, narrowly ovate, obtuse, sericeous within; stamens 2 mm
long, anthers of the outer two whorls narrowly ovate, sub-acute, upper cells very small;
inner anthers two-celled, extrorse, basal glands large, sessile. Staminodes smaller than
stamens, sagitate, acute; ovary sub-globose, with very short style and small subpeltate
stigma. Infructescence up to 10 cm long, fruit 12 7 mm; ellipsoid or ovate-ellipsoid;
cup hemispherical, up to 7 mm diameter, rim entire (Dassanayake et al., 1995).
The major constituent of bark oil is cinnamaldehyde, while that of leaf oil is citronellal
(Sritharan et al., 1994). This citronellal imparts a distinctive lemongrass odour
to the leaves of this species.
C. cordatum Kosterm.
It is a shrub (or a small tree) of about 4–6 m in height. This species is common to
Malaysia and is abundantly found in the forests of Perakand and Pahang states. The
leaves are opposite, triplinerved. This species does not have any commercial uses, but is
used in traditional medicine mainly to reduce pain. Jantan et al. (2002) analysed the oil
of this species. It contains about 0.8% leaf oil and 0.7% bark oil. The oil analysis by
GC-MS revealed 55 components, out of which 43 representing 96.5% of the oil were
identified by the authors (Table 15.5). Monoterpinoids and phenylpropanoids constituted
53.8% and 21.6% of the oil, respectively. The major constituents of leaf oil were
linalool (17.3%) and (E)-methyl cinnamate (17.1%). The bark oil was made up almost
entirely of methyl euginol (92.1%). It is an uncommon constituent in Cinnamomum,
and was earlier reported only from C. partheroxylon and C. rigidissimum.
C. culitlawan (L.) J S Presl
Other Useful Species of Cinnamomum 335
C. culitlawan Presl, Priroz. Rostlin 2, 36, 1925., Blume, Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind., II stuk:
571, 1826; Rumphia 1, 26, t.9, fig.1, 1836; Th. Nees and Ebermayer, Handb. Med.
Pharm. Bot. z: 429, 1831; C.G. Nees in flora 15(2): 587, 601 et 602, 1831; Syst. Laur.
71 et 668, 1836 (see Kostermans 1964). (Syn. C. culilaban (L.) J.S. Presl; C. culitlawan
(Roxb.) J.S. Presl.; C. culitlawan Bl., Laurus culitlawan L.)
This species is found in the Indonesian Islands (Moluccas, Amboina and adjacent
Islands). It is a small to medium sized tree with slender branchlets. Leaves opposite, petiole
up to 1 cm long; blade lanceolate – oblong to ovate-elliptical, coriaceous, glabrous; size
9–12 cm 2.5–4.5 cm. Inflorescence is an axillary panicle, 6 cm long, few flowered.
Flowers are densely pilose.
The bark has the smell of clove (and is hence known as kulitlawang in the Indonesian
language). It is used as a spice locally. The bark as well as its oil (lawang oil) are used
medicinally as a constipating agent and in the treatment of cholera. The root bark has
the flavour of fennel and has been used as a substitute for sassafras bark, Sassafras
albidum (Nutt.) Nees (Dao et al., 1999).