Cinnamomum deschampsii (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Cinnamomum deschampsii Gamble

Family: Lauraceae

Vernacular names

• Malaysia: kayu manis

Distribution

The origin of C. deschampsii is unknown. It has been collected in Peninsular Malaysia (Pinang) and in Singapore but it is doubtfully native there.

Uses

The bark is thick, very aromatic and with a very pleasant flavour, resembling Chinese cassia (Cinnamomum cassia J.S. Presl).

Observations

• Bushy tree, stem about 1.5 m tall, and 30 cm in diameter.
• Leaves coriaceous; petiole 0.5 cm long; blade oblong to elliptical-ovate, 7.5-15 cm × 5-7 cm.
• Inflorescence a lax spreading panicle with silky flowers.
• Fruit an ellipsoidal one-seeded berry, about 1 cm long.

C. deschampsii occurs in the lowlands, in fields and along roads.

Selected sources

• Burkill, I.H., 1935. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. 2 volumes. Crown Agents for the Colonies, London, United Kingdom. 2402 pp. (slightly revised reprint, 1966. 2 volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2444 pp.).

• Ridley, H.N., 1922-1925. The flora of the Malay Peninsula. 5 volumes. Government of the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States. L. Reeve & Co., London, United Kingdom.

Authors

P.C.M. Jansen