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Camphora officinarum

Camphora officinarum is a species of evergreen tree indigenous to warm temperate to subtropical regions of East Asia, including countries such as China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. It is known by various names, most notably the camphor tree, camphorwood or camphor laurel.[1][2][3]

Camphora officinarum
An ancient camphor tree (estimated to be over 1,000 years old) in Japan
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Laurales
Family: Lauraceae
Genus: Camphora
Species:
C. officinarum
Binomial name
Camphora officinarum
Synonyms
  • Laurus camphora L.
  • Persea camphora (L.) Spreng.
  • Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J.Presl.
  • Camphora officinalis Steud.
  • Camphora camphora (L.) H. karst.

Description edit

Camphora officinarum grows up to 20–30 m (66–98 ft) tall.[4] In Japan, where the tree is called kusunoki, five camphor trees are known with a trunk circumference above 20 m (66 ft), with the largest individual, Kamō no Ōkusu (蒲生の大楠, "Great camphor of Kamō"), reaching 24.22 m (79+12 ft).[5]

The leaves have a glossy, waxy appearance and smell of camphor when crushed. In spring, it produces bright green foliage with masses of very small white fragrant flowers from which its common namesake "smells good tree" in Chinese 香樟 xiang zhang was given. It produces clusters of black, berry-like fruit around 1 cm (38 in) in diameter. Its pale bark is very rough and fissured vertically.

 
Camphor grove in Hong Kong

Distribution and habitat edit

The species is native to China south of the Yangtze River, Taiwan, southern Japan, Korea, India, and Vietnam, and has been introduced to many other countries.[4]

Ecology edit

In Australia, the larval stages of two native butterflies, the purple brown-eye and common red-eye feed on camphor despite it being an introduced plant.[6]

As an invasive species edit

 
Public gardens in Adelaide, South Australia

In Australia edit

Camphor laurel was introduced to Australia in 1822 as an ornamental tree for use in gardens and public parks. It has become a noxious weed throughout Queensland and central to northern New South Wales, where it is suited to the wet, subtropical climate. The camphor content of the leaf litter helps prevent other plants from germinating successfully, helping to ensure the camphor's success against any potentially competing vegetation,[citation needed] and the seeds are attractive to birds and pass intact through the digestive system, ensuring rapid distribution. Camphor laurel invades rainforests and pastures, and also competes against eucalyptus trees, certain species of which are the sole food source of koalas. In its favour, however, younger camphor laurel trees can quickly develop hollows, which can be utilised by wildlife, whereas natives can take hundreds of years to develop hollows.[7]

In the United States edit

Introduced to the contiguous United States around 1875, the species has become naturalized in portions of Alabama, California, Florida, Virginia, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, and South Carolina.[8] It has been declared a category I invasive species in Florida.[9]

Uses edit

The species is cultivated for camphor and timber production. The production and shipment of camphor, in a solid, waxy form, was a major industry in Taiwan prior to and during the Japanese colonial era (1895–1945). It was used medicinally and was also an important ingredient in the production of smokeless gunpowder and celluloid. Primitive stills were set up in the mountainous areas in which the tree is usually found. The wood was chipped; these chips were steamed in a retort, allowing the camphor to crystallize on the inside of a crystallization box after the vapour had passed through a cooling chamber. It was then scraped off and packed out to government-run factories for processing and sale. Camphor was one of the most lucrative of several important government monopolies under the Japanese.

The wood has an insect-repellent quality.[10]

Camphor edit

Camphor is a white crystalline substance, obtained from the tree C. camphora. Camphor has been used for many centuries as a culinary spice, a component of incense, and as a medicine. It is also an insect repellent and a flea-killing substance.

Chemical constituents edit

The species contains volatile chemical compounds in all plant parts, and the wood and leaves are steam distilled for the essential oils. Camphor laurel has six different chemical variants called chemotypes, which are camphor, linalool, 1,8-cineole, nerolidol, safrole, and borneol. In China, field workers avoid mixing chemotypes when harvesting by their odour.[11][12] The cineole fraction of camphor laurel is used in China to manufacture fake "eucalyptus oil".[13]

The chemical variants (or chemotypes) seem dependent upon the country of origin of the tree. e.g., C. camphora grown in Taiwan and Japan is normally very high in linalool, often between 80 and 85%. In India and Sri Lanka, the high camphor variety/chemotype remains dominant. C. camphora grown in Madagascar, though, is high in 1,8-cineole (averaging between 40 and 50%). The essential oil from the Madagascar trees is commercially known as ravintsara.[14]

 
Sacred camphor tree at Kayashima Station

In culture edit

Certain trees in Japan are considered sacred. An example of the importance of a sacred tree is the enshrined 700-year old camphor growing in the middle of Kayashima Station. Locals protested against moving the tree when the railway station had to be expanded, so the station was built around it.[15]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Camphor - The Wood Database
  2. ^ Yang, Zhi; Liu, Bing; Yang, Yong; Ferguson, David K. (2022). "Phylogeny and taxonomy of Cinnamomum (Lauraceae)". Ecology and Evolution. 12 (10): e9378. Bibcode:2022EcoEv..12E9378Y. doi:10.1002/ece3.9378. ISSN 2045-7758. PMC 9526118. PMID 36203627.
  3. ^ CABI (2022-01-07). Cinnamomum camphora (camphor laurel) (Report). doi:10.1079/cabicompendium.13519.
  4. ^ a b Xi-wen Li; Jie Li; Henk van der Werff. "Cinnamomum camphora". Flora of China. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  5. ^ "Kamou no Ohkusu". Wondermondo. 2014-07-04.
  6. ^ Wells, A., Edwards, E.D., Houston, W.W.K., Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea, Papilionoidea, Volume 31, CSIRO, 2001.
  7. ^
  8. ^ "Plants Profile: Cinnamomum camphora". Natural Resources Conservation Service. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
  9. ^ Forest Starr; Kim Starr; Lloyd Loope (January 2003). "Cinnamomum camphora" (PDF). United States Geological Survey: Biological Resources Division. Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
  10. ^ Little, Elbert L. (1980). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region. New York: Knopf. p. 449. ISBN 0-394-50760-6.
  11. ^ Hirota, N. and Hiroi, M., 1967. ‘The later studies on the camphor tree, on the leaf oil of each practical form and its utilisation’, Perfumery and Essential Oil Record 58, 364–367.
  12. ^ Lawrence, B. M., 1995. ‘Progress in essential oils’, Perfumer and Flavorist, 20, 29–41.
  13. ^
  14. ^ Behra, Burfield (May 2009). "Ravensara/Ravintsara Bibliography v1.01" (PDF). Compiled by CropWatch v1.01. (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2011.
  15. ^ "Japanese Train Station Protectively Built Around a 700-Year-Old Tree". 27 January 2017.

External links edit

  • —Produced by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries

camphora, officinarum, camphor, tree, redirects, here, tree, native, malay, archipelago, also, known, camphor, tree, dryobalanops, aromatica, camphorwood, redirects, here, australian, tree, also, known, camphorwood, cinnamomum, oliveri, species, evergreen, tre. Camphor tree redirects here For the tree native to the Malay Archipelago also known as Camphor tree see Dryobalanops aromatica Camphorwood redirects here For the Australian tree also known as Camphorwood see Cinnamomum oliveri Camphora officinarum is a species of evergreen tree indigenous to warm temperate to subtropical regions of East Asia including countries such as China Taiwan Vietnam Korea and Japan It is known by various names most notably the camphor tree camphorwood or camphor laurel 1 2 3 Camphora officinarum An ancient camphor tree estimated to be over 1 000 years old in Japan Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Magnoliids Order Laurales Family Lauraceae Genus Camphora Species C officinarum Binomial name Camphora officinarumNees Synonyms Laurus camphora L Persea camphora L Spreng Cinnamomum camphora L J Presl Camphora officinalis Steud Camphora camphora L H karst Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Ecology 3 1 As an invasive species 3 2 In Australia 3 3 In the United States 4 Uses 4 1 Camphor 4 2 Chemical constituents 5 In culture 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksDescription editCamphora officinarum grows up to 20 30 m 66 98 ft tall 4 In Japan where the tree is called kusunoki five camphor trees are known with a trunk circumference above 20 m 66 ft with the largest individual Kamō no Ōkusu 蒲生の大楠 Great camphor of Kamō reaching 24 22 m 79 1 2 ft 5 The leaves have a glossy waxy appearance and smell of camphor when crushed In spring it produces bright green foliage with masses of very small white fragrant flowers from which its common namesake smells good tree in Chinese 香樟 xiang zhang was given It produces clusters of black berry like fruit around 1 cm 3 8 in in diameter Its pale bark is very rough and fissured vertically nbsp Foliage and fruit in Sydney Australia nbsp Camphor grove in Hong KongDistribution and habitat editThe species is native to China south of the Yangtze River Taiwan southern Japan Korea India and Vietnam and has been introduced to many other countries 4 Ecology editIn Australia the larval stages of two native butterflies the purple brown eye and common red eye feed on camphor despite it being an introduced plant 6 As an invasive species edit nbsp Public gardens in Adelaide South Australia In Australia edit Camphor laurel was introduced to Australia in 1822 as an ornamental tree for use in gardens and public parks It has become a noxious weed throughout Queensland and central to northern New South Wales where it is suited to the wet subtropical climate The camphor content of the leaf litter helps prevent other plants from germinating successfully helping to ensure the camphor s success against any potentially competing vegetation citation needed and the seeds are attractive to birds and pass intact through the digestive system ensuring rapid distribution Camphor laurel invades rainforests and pastures and also competes against eucalyptus trees certain species of which are the sole food source of koalas In its favour however younger camphor laurel trees can quickly develop hollows which can be utilised by wildlife whereas natives can take hundreds of years to develop hollows 7 In the United States edit Introduced to the contiguous United States around 1875 the species has become naturalized in portions of Alabama California Florida Virginia Georgia Hawaii Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina Texas and South Carolina 8 It has been declared a category I invasive species in Florida 9 Uses editThe species is cultivated for camphor and timber production The production and shipment of camphor in a solid waxy form was a major industry in Taiwan prior to and during the Japanese colonial era 1895 1945 It was used medicinally and was also an important ingredient in the production of smokeless gunpowder and celluloid Primitive stills were set up in the mountainous areas in which the tree is usually found The wood was chipped these chips were steamed in a retort allowing the camphor to crystallize on the inside of a crystallization box after the vapour had passed through a cooling chamber It was then scraped off and packed out to government run factories for processing and sale Camphor was one of the most lucrative of several important government monopolies under the Japanese The wood has an insect repellent quality 10 Camphor edit Main article Camphor Camphor is a white crystalline substance obtained from the tree C camphora Camphor has been used for many centuries as a culinary spice a component of incense and as a medicine It is also an insect repellent and a flea killing substance Chemical constituents edit The species contains volatile chemical compounds in all plant parts and the wood and leaves are steam distilled for the essential oils Camphor laurel has six different chemical variants called chemotypes which are camphor linalool 1 8 cineole nerolidol safrole and borneol In China field workers avoid mixing chemotypes when harvesting by their odour 11 12 The cineole fraction of camphor laurel is used in China to manufacture fake eucalyptus oil 13 The chemical variants or chemotypes seem dependent upon the country of origin of the tree e g C camphora grown in Taiwan and Japan is normally very high in linalool often between 80 and 85 In India and Sri Lanka the high camphor variety chemotype remains dominant C camphora grown in Madagascar though is high in 1 8 cineole averaging between 40 and 50 The essential oil from the Madagascar trees is commercially known as ravintsara 14 nbsp Sacred camphor tree at Kayashima StationIn culture editCertain trees in Japan are considered sacred An example of the importance of a sacred tree is the enshrined 700 year old camphor growing in the middle of Kayashima Station Locals protested against moving the tree when the railway station had to be expanded so the station was built around it 15 See also editSandalwood Class of woods from trees in the genus Santalum My Neighbor Totoro 1988 film by Hayao MiyazakiReferences edit Camphor The Wood Database Yang Zhi Liu Bing Yang Yong Ferguson David K 2022 Phylogeny and taxonomy of Cinnamomum Lauraceae Ecology and Evolution 12 10 e9378 Bibcode 2022EcoEv 12E9378Y doi 10 1002 ece3 9378 ISSN 2045 7758 PMC 9526118 PMID 36203627 CABI 2022 01 07 Cinnamomum camphora camphor laurel Report doi 10 1079 cabicompendium 13519 a b Xi wen Li Jie Li Henk van der Werff Cinnamomum camphora Flora of China Missouri Botanical Garden St Louis MO amp Harvard University Herbaria Cambridge MA Retrieved 27 March 2013 Kamou no Ohkusu Wondermondo 2014 07 04 Wells A Edwards E D Houston W W K Lepidoptera Hesperioidea Papilionoidea Volume 31 CSIRO 2001 Noxious weed declaration for NSW Plants Profile Cinnamomum camphora Natural Resources Conservation Service United States Department of Agriculture Retrieved 12 April 2010 Forest Starr Kim Starr Lloyd Loope January 2003 Cinnamomum camphora PDF United States Geological Survey Biological Resources Division Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project Retrieved 12 April 2010 Little Elbert L 1980 The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees Eastern Region New York Knopf p 449 ISBN 0 394 50760 6 Hirota N and Hiroi M 1967 The later studies on the camphor tree on the leaf oil of each practical form and its utilisation Perfumery and Essential Oil Record 58 364 367 Lawrence B M 1995 Progress in essential oils Perfumer and Flavorist 20 29 41 Ashurst P R Food Flavorings 1999 Behra Burfield May 2009 Ravensara Ravintsara Bibliography v1 01 PDF Compiled by CropWatch v1 01 Archived PDF from the original on 4 March 2011 Japanese Train Station Protectively Built Around a 700 Year Old Tree 27 January 2017 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cinnamomum camphora Camphor laurel fact sheet Produced by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Campaign to stop the spread of camphor laurels in Australia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Camphora officinarum amp oldid 1221330480, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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