The genus Cinnamomum

58 P.N. Ravindran et al.
(iv) safrole type with 80% safrole and 10% monoterpenoids; hard
(v) camphor type that contains mainly camphor.
Khein et al. (1998) recognised eight chemovarieties among camphor trees in Vietnam.
They are: camphor type; camphor sesquiterpene type; sesquiterpene type; cineole
type; linalool type; p-cymene -phellandrene types; p-cymene -phellandrene
type and p-cymene -phellandrene type. They also reported an interesting study
of the chemical segregation of camphor trees in two chemovarieties. They identified four
chemoforms among the progenies of a camphor tree rich in camphor.
Chemoform 1 – Camphor type (62–93%)
2 – 1,8-cineole (30–57%) -terpineol (14–25%)
3 – E-nerolidol 9-oxonerolidol (47–84%)
4 – E-nerolidol 9-oxonerolidol (22–36%) and safrole (30–70%)
The progenies of another camphor tree (Linalool type) segregated as follows:
Chemoform 1 – Linalool (72–96%)
2 – Camphor (70–86%)
3 – E-nerolidol oxonerolidol (61–91%)
4 – Camphor (19–71%) and linalool (14–72%)
5 – 1,8-cineole (54–56%), -pinene (16–24%) and -terpineol (9–11%)
6 – Linalool (38%), 1,8-cineole (36%), -pinene (11%).
Many other studies also indicated the existence of such chemoforms in camphor tree
(see Chapter 9).
Guang-Fu and Yang (1988) investigated the Cinnamomum species occurring in the
Hubei province of China and did a cluster analysis using chemical characteristics. They
observed good correlation among morphological and chemical characteristics.
The species studied by them clustered in three groups:
(1) C. appelianum, C. pauciflorum, C. wilsonii
(2) C. bodinieri, C. septentrionale, C. platiphyllum
(3) C. parthenoxylon, C. longepaniculatum.
Based on a Q clustering analysis the above workers also proposed the probable relationships
among the species (mainly in the light of chemical relationships). The chemical
evolution indicated by them is given below:
Linalool
Eugenol
Cinnamic aldehyde
Camphor borneol bornyl acetate
α-terpinol
geraniol
α-pinene
methyl eugenol
cinnamic acetate
1,8-cineole
geranial (citral)