|
Genus: Cinnamomum (cinnamon, camphor genus) Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > magnoliids > Order: Laurales > Family: Lauraceae
About 250 species worldwide (E and SE Asia through to
Australia). There are no indigenous species in southern Africa but there are
five species that are cultivated, including Cinnamon and the Camphor tree.
Cultivated species in southern Africa
List from Glen (2002).
|
Cinnamomum aromaticum (Chinese cinnamon, cassia
bark)
Not recorded in Glen (2002) but quite likely that it has
been cultivated in southern Africa. The bark is used in a similar manner to
true cinnamon bark from Cinnamomum verum.
It has a stronger flavour than true cinnamon and is cheaper so is quite
often used as a substitute for the latter. |
|
Cinnamomum burmannii
From India. |
|
Cinnamomum camphora (Camphor
tree) The wood used to be distilled to
produce camphor, but this substance is now usually produced artificially.
The Camphor tree is indigenous to East Asia (Malaysia through to Japan).
A declared Category 1 invasive
plant in South Africa for the provinces of Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and
Mpumalanga. |
|
Cinnamomum glanduliferum
Indigenous to the Himalayas. |
|
Cinnamomum japonicum
Indigenous to Japan, Korea and Taiwan. |
|
Cinnamomum verum (Cinnamon bark tree, Ceylon cinnamon)
This medium-sized tree is the source of true cinnamon
and is indigenous to Sri Lanka and India. The spice is derived from the bark
and has a sweet, spicy flavour. It is used in puddings, confectionery,
mulled wine, sauces, red meat dishes, chicken dishes, pickles and soups. The
flavour is mainly due to cinnamaldehyde, which is the main component in the
essential oil derived from cinnamon. |
|
Publications
-
Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated Plants of
Southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.
-
van Wyk, B.-E. 2005. Food Plants of the World -
Identification, Culinary Uses and Nutritional Value. Briza, Pretoria.
|