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Yellow Cinnamomum, Yellow Camphor-tree

Scientific Name : Cinnamomum parthenoxylon (Jack) Meisn.
Common Name : Yellow Cinnamomum, Yellow Camphor-tree
Chinese Name : 黃樟，黃樟木
Family : LAURACEAE
Local distribution status : Native species

Anecdotes on plants

Origins Southern, Southwestern China, and is widely distributed in India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan and Southern Australia.
Vitality Sassafras Wood and fruit with a strong smell of camphor can be insect repellent.
Application The essential oils extracted from its wood and leaves, known as ‘camphora oil’, are competent to expel household pests. Since the wood is sturdy and highly resistant to insects and fungi, it is yearned for making ships, furniture and artworks. The seeds can also be processed into soaps. Moreover, the tree serves versatile medicinal functions and is commonly processed into traditional Chinese medicines to treat rheumatoid and dysentery. Regarding its straight trunk and large canopy, Yellow Cinnamomum is a superb street tree species for providing shade effect.
Yellow Cinnamomum and Cinnamomum camphora (Camphor Tree) Both species are the members of Cinnamomum and share imperceptible appearances. The most critical trait to differentiate is that the leaves of Camphor Tree are triplinerved, while those of Yellow Cinnamomum are pinnately veined and arranged.

Traits for identification

Growing habit Evergreen tree.
Height To 20 m.
Stem Bark greenish brown, with deep longitudinal fissures, peeling off in small flakes.
Leaves Simple leaves alternate. Blade leathery, glabrous, abaxially pale green, elliptic-ovate or long elliptic-ovate, apex always acute or shortly acuminate, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, entire, pinnately veined, inconspicuous bulges at axils of lateral veins. Smell of camphor when crushed.
Flower Panicles or cymes axillary on branchlets. Flowers small, greenish yellow.
Fruit Fruit globose, turning black at maturity.
Flowering period March to May in Hong Kong.
Fruiting period April to October in Hong Kong.
Overview of <em>Cinnamomum parthenoxylon</em> (Jack) Meisn..
Trunk of <em>Cinnamomum parthenoxylon</em> (Jack) Meisn..
Bark greenish brown, with deep longitudinal fissures, peeling off in small flakes.
Simple leaves alternate. Blade leathery, glabrous, abaxially pale green, elliptic-ovate or long elliptic-ovate, apex always acute or shortly acuminate, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, entire.
Fruit globose, turning black at maturity.
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Remarks

Scientific name above is based on Hong Kong Herbarium website :
https://herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=6136

Scientific names from other databases 
― Flora of China : Cinnamomum parthenoxylon (Jack) Meisner
― Plants of the World Online : Cinnamomum parthenoxylon (Jack) Meisn.

Reference
  • Adfa, M., Romayasa, A., Kusnanda, A. J., Avidlyandi, A., Yudha S., S., Banon, C., and Gustian, I. (2020). Chemical Components, Antitermite and Antifungal Activities of Cinnamomum parthenoxylon Wood Vinegar. Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology, 48(1), 107–116.
  • Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). (2018). A Photographic Guide to Common Urban Trees of Hong Kong. 3rd edition. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong. ISBN: 978-988-12021-3-0.
  • eFloras. (2008). Cinnamomum parthenoxylon (Jack) Meisner in A. Candolle, Prodr. Flora of China [Online Edition]. Missouri Botanical Garden, St.Louis, MO and Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 10th March 2022, from: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=242312976
  • Hong Kong Herbarium, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department & South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. (2007-2011). Cinnamomum parthenoxylon (Jack) Meisn. 黃樟 Flora of Hong Kong. [Online Edition]. Retrieved 26th August 2022, from: https://herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=6136
  • Jia, Q., Liu, X., Wu, X., Wang, R., Hu, X., Li, Y., and Huang, C. (2009). Hypoglycemic activity of a polyphenolic oligomer-rich extract of Cinnamomum parthenoxylon bark in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Phytomedicine, 16(8), 744–750.
  • Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (2017). Cinnamomum parthenoxylon (Jack) Meisn. Plant of the World Online. [Online Edition]. Retrieved 18th November 2022, from: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:463600-1 
  • Son, L. C., Dai, D. N., Thang, T. D., Huyen, D. D., and Ogunwande, I. A. (2014). Study on Cinnamomum Oils: Compositional Pattern of Seven Species Grown in Vietnam. Journal of Oleo Science, 63(10), 1035–1043.
  • 中國科學院植物誌編輯委員會。（1998）。〈Cinnamomum parthenoxylon (Jack) Meisner 黄樟〉《中國植物誌》[網上版本]。於2023年1月6日擷取自： http://www.iplant.cn/info/Cinnamomum%20parthenoxylon?t=foc
  • 邢福武和余明恩。（2000）。《深圳野生植物》。中國林業出版社。國際標準書號：9787503826771.
  • 邢福武和曾慶文。（2011）。《廣州野生植物》。華中科技大學出版社。國際標準書號：978-75609-6353-2。
  • 黎存志、葉彥、葉國樑、魏遠娥、廖家業。（2008）。《香港野外樹木圖鑑》。香港 : 漁農自然護理署。國際標準書號 : 978-988-99377-3-7。
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