236 Species of Genus Cinnamomum

The Allure of Cinnamomum: A Personal Exploration

My name is Ferb Vu, and I’ve always been captivated by the world of plants. Their diversity, their resilience, and their sheer beauty never cease to amaze me. Among the myriad of plant genera that have piqued my interest, one stands out with a particular allure: Cinnamomum. This genus, belonging to the laurel family (Lauraceae), is renowned for its aromatic trees and shrubs, many of which yield the beloved spice, cinnamon.

As an avid enthusiast of botany and a lover of all things fragrant, I find myself drawn to the rich history and diverse applications of Cinnamomum species. From the culinary delights of cinnamon to the medicinal properties of camphor, this genus offers a fascinating glimpse into the intricate relationship between humans and the natural world.

Aromatic Diversity

Cinnamomum encompasses a vast array of species, estimated to be around 236, distributed across tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Oceania. These evergreen trees and shrubs are characterized by their aromatic oils, found in their leaves and bark, which give them their distinctive scents and flavors.

1. Cinnamomum agasthyamalayanum Robi, Sujanapal & Udayan
2. Cinnamomum alibertii Lukman.
3. Cinnamomum altissimum Kosterm.
4. Cinnamomum anacardium Kosterm.
5. Cinnamomum andersonii Lukman.
6. Cinnamomum angustifolium Lukman.
7. Cinnamomum angustitepalum Kosterm.
8. Cinnamomum appelianum Schewe
9. Cinnamomum archboldianum C.K.Allen
10. Cinnamomum arfakense Kosterm.
11. Cinnamomum aromaticum Nees
12. Cinnamomum asomicum S.C.Nath & Baruah
13. Cinnamomum assamicum Lukman.
14. Cinnamomum aubletii Lukman.
15. Cinnamomum aureofulvum Gamble
16. Cinnamomum auricolor Kosterm. ex Dao
17. Cinnamomum austrosinense H.T.Chang
18. Cinnamomum austroyunnanense H.W.Li
19. Cinnamomum baileyanum (F.Muell. ex F.M.Bailey) Francis
20. Cinnamomum balansae Lecomte
21. Cinnamomum bamoense Lukman.
22. Cinnamomum beccarii Lukman.
23. Cinnamomum bejolghota (Buch.-Ham.) Sweet
24. Cinnamomum bhamoensis M.Gangop.
25. Cinnamomum bhaskarii M.Gangop.
26. Cinnamomum birmanicum Kosterm.
27. Cinnamomum bishnupadae M.Gangop.
28. Cinnamomum blandfordii M.Gangop.
29. Cinnamomum blumei Lukman.
30. Cinnamomum bokorense Tagane & Yahara
31. Cinnamomum bonii Lecomte
32. Cinnamomum burmanni (Nees & T.Nees) Blume
33. Cinnamomum calciphilum Kosterm.
34. Cinnamomum cambodianum Lecomte
35. Cinnamomum capparu-coronde Blume
36. Cinnamomum carrierei Lukman.
37. Cinnamomum caryophyllus (Lour.) S.Moore
38. Cinnamomum cebuense Kosterm.
39. Cinnamomum celebicum Miq.
40. Cinnamomum chago B.S.Sun & H.L.Zhao
41. Cinnamomum champokianum Baruah & S.C.Nath
42. Cinnamomum chantinii Lukman.
43. Cinnamomum chekiangense Nakai
44. Cinnamomum chemungianum M.Mohanan & A.N.Henry
45. Cinnamomum chingchuanium S.S.Ying
46. Cinnamomum citriodorum Thwaites
47. Cinnamomum clemensii C.K.Allen
48. Cinnamomum contractum H.W.Li
49. Cinnamomum cordatum Kosterm.
50. Cinnamomum corneri Kosterm.
51. Cinnamomum crassinervium Miq.
52. Cinnamomum crenulicupulum Kosterm.
53. Cinnamomum crispalum Kosterm. ex H.H.Pham
54. Cinnamomum culitlawan (L.) J.Presl
55. Cinnamomum cupulatum Kosterm.
56. Cinnamomum curvifolium (Lour.) Nees
57. Cinnamomum cuspidatum Miq.
58. Cinnamomum damhaense Kosterm. ex Dao
59. Cinnamomum daphnoides Siebold & Zucc.
60. Cinnamomum decaisnei Lukman.
61. Cinnamomum decourtilzii Lukman.
62. Cinnamomum degeneri C.K.Allen
63. Cinnamomum deschampsii Gamble
64. Cinnamomum dimorphandrum Yahara & Tagane
65. Cinnamomum doederleinii Engl.
66. Cinnamomum dubium Nees
67. Cinnamomum durifolium Kosterm. ex H.H.Pham
68. Cinnamomum × durifruticeticola Hatus.
69. Cinnamomum ebaloi Kosterm.
70. Cinnamomum ellipticifolium Kosterm.
71. Cinnamomum englerianum Schewe
72. Cinnamomum eugenoliferum Kosterm.
73. Cinnamomum filipedicellatum Kosterm.
74. Cinnamomum fitianum (Meisn.) A.C.Sm.
75. Cinnamomum frodinii Kosterm.
76. Cinnamomum gamblei Geethakum., Deepu & Pandur.
77. Cinnamomum gaudichaudii Lukman.
78. Cinnamomum glaucescens (Nees) Hand.-Mazz.
79. Cinnamomum glauciphyllum Kosterm.
80. Cinnamomum goaense Kosterm.
81. Cinnamomum gracillimum Kosterm.
82. Cinnamomum grandiflorum Kosterm.
83. Cinnamomum guizhouense C.Y.Deng, Zhi Yang & Y.Yang
84. Cinnamomum helferi Lukman.
85. Cinnamomum heyneanum Nees
86. Cinnamomum hkinlumense Kosterm.
87. Cinnamomum hookeri Lukman.
88. Cinnamomum impressinervium Meisn.
89. Cinnamomum inconspicuum Kosterm. ex de Kok
90. Cinnamomum iners (Reinw. ex Nees & T.Nees) Blume
91. Cinnamomum insularimontanum Hayata
92. Cinnamomum javanicum Blume
93. Cinnamomum jensenianum Hand.-Mazz.
94. Cinnamomum kalbaricum Doweld
95. Cinnamomum kami Kosterm.
96. Cinnamomum keralaense Kosterm.
97. Cinnamomum kerangas Kosterm.
98. Cinnamomum kerrii Kosterm.
99. Cinnamomum kinabaluense Heine
100. Cinnamomum kingdon-wardii Kosterm.
101. Cinnamomum kostermansii de Kok
102. Cinnamomum kotoense Kaneh. & Sasaki
103. Cinnamomum kunstleri Ridl.
104. Cinnamomum kwangtungense Merr.
105. Cinnamomum lanaoense Kosterm.
106. Cinnamomum lanuginosum Kosterm.
107. Cinnamomum laubatii F.Muell.
108. Cinnamomum lawang Kosterm.
109. Cinnamomum ledermannii Schewe
110. Cinnamomum liangii C.K.Allen
111. Cinnamomum ligneum Lukman.
112. Cinnamomum lineatum Kosterm.
113. Cinnamomum lioui C.K.Allen
114. Cinnamomum litsaeifolium Thwaites
115. Cinnamomum loheri Merr.
116. Cinnamomum lohitensis M.Gangop.
117. Cinnamomum longepetiolatum Kosterm. ex H.H.Pham
118. Cinnamomum longipedicellatum Kosterm.
119. Cinnamomum longipetiolatum H.W.Li
120. Cinnamomum loureiroi Nees
121. Cinnamomum lucens Miq.
122. Cinnamomum mabberleyi de Kok
123. Cinnamomum macrocarpum Hook.f.
124. Cinnamomum macrophyllum Miq.
125. Cinnamomum magnificum Kosterm. ex H.H.Pham
126. Cinnamomum mairei H.Lév.
127. Cinnamomum malabatrum (Burm.f.) J.Presl
128. Cinnamomum melastomaceum Kosterm. ex H.H.Pham
129. Cinnamomum melliodorum Kosterm.
130. Cinnamomum mendozae Kosterm.
131. Cinnamomum mercadoi S.Vidal
132. Cinnamomum microphyllum Ridl.
133. Cinnamomum mohanense Gangapr., S.P.Mathew & R.Jagad.
134. Cinnamomum mollissimum Hook.f.
135. Cinnamomum myrianthum Merr.
136. Cinnamomum nalingway Kosterm.
137. Cinnamomum nanophyllum Kosterm.
138. Cinnamomum neesii Lukman.
139. Cinnamomum nilagiricum Geethakum., Pandur. & Deepu
140. Cinnamomum novae-britanniae Kosterm.
141. Cinnamomum oblongum Kosterm.
142. Cinnamomum obscurum Meisn.
143. Cinnamomum oliveri F.M.Bailey
144. Cinnamomum osmophloeum Kaneh.
145. Cinnamomum ovalauense Kosterm.
146. Cinnamomum ovalifolium Wight
147. Cinnamomum pachypes Kosterm.
148. Cinnamomum pachyphyllum Kosterm.
149. Cinnamomum paiei Kosterm.
150. Cinnamomum pallidum Gillespie
151. Cinnamomum panayense Kosterm.
152. Cinnamomum paraneuron Miq.
153. Cinnamomum pedatinervium Meisn.
154. Cinnamomum pendulum Cammerl.
155. Cinnamomum percoriaceum Kosterm.
156. Cinnamomum perglabrum Kosterm.
157. Cinnamomum perrottetii Meisn.
158. Cinnamomum petelotii Kosterm. ex de Kok
159. Cinnamomum petiolatum Kosterm.
160. Cinnamomum pilosum Cammerl.
161. Cinnamomum pingbienense H.W.Li
162. Cinnamomum piniodorum Schewe
163. Cinnamomum pittosporoides Hand.-Mazz.
164. Cinnamomum podagricum Kosterm.
165. Cinnamomum polderi Kosterm.
166. Cinnamomum politum Miq.
167. Cinnamomum polyadelphum (Lour.) Kosterm.
168. Cinnamomum porphyrospermum Kosterm.
169. Cinnamomum propinquum F.M.Bailey
170. Cinnamomum pseudopedunculatum Hayata
171. Cinnamomum puberulum Ridl.
172. Cinnamomum racemosum Kosterm.
173. Cinnamomum reticulatum Hayata
174. Cinnamomum rhynchophyllum Miq.
175. Cinnamomum rigidifolium Kosterm. ex H.H.Pham
176. Cinnamomum rigidissimum H.T.Chang
177. Cinnamomum rigidum Gillespie
178. Cinnamomum riparium Gamble
179. Cinnamomum rivulorum Kosterm.
180. Cinnamomum rosiflorum Kosterm.
181. Cinnamomum rosselianum Kosterm.
182. Cinnamomum rumphii Lukman.
183. Cinnamomum rupestre Kosterm.
184. Cinnamomum sancti-caroli Kosterm.
185. Cinnamomum sandkuhlii Merr.
186. Cinnamomum sanjappae M.Gangop.
187. Cinnamomum saxatile H.W.Li
188. Cinnamomum scalarinervium Kosterm. ex Dao
189. Cinnamomum scortechinii Gamble
190. Cinnamomum selangorense (Ridl.) de Kok
191. Cinnamomum sericans Hance
192. Cinnamomum sessilifolium Kaneh.
193. Cinnamomum siamense Craib
194. Cinnamomum sieboldii Meisn.
195. Cinnamomum sinharajaense Kosterm.
196. Cinnamomum sintoc Blume
197. Cinnamomum sleumeri Kosterm.
198. Cinnamomum solomonense C.K.Allen
199. Cinnamomum splendens Kosterm.
200. Cinnamomum spurium Blume ex Lukman.
201. Cinnamomum subaveniopsis Kosterm.
202. Cinnamomum subavenium Miq.
203. Cinnamomum sublanuginosum Kosterm.
204. Cinnamomum subpenninervium Kosterm. ex H.H.Pham
205. Cinnamomum subsericeum Kosterm.
206. Cinnamomum subtetrapterum Miq.
207. Cinnamomum sulavesianum Kosterm.
208. Cinnamomum sulphuratum Nees
209. Cinnamomum sumatranum Meisn.
210. Cinnamomum suvrae M.Gangop.
211. Cinnamomum szechuanense Yen C.Yang
212. Cinnamomum tahijanum Kosterm.
213. Cinnamomum talawaense Kosterm.
214. Cinnamomum tamala (Buch.-Ham.) T.Nees & C.H.Eberm.
215. Cinnamomum tavoyanum Meisn.
216. Cinnamomum tazia (Buch.-Ham.) Kosterm. ex M.Gangop.
217. Cinnamomum tetragonum A.Chev.
218. Cinnamomum travancoricum Gamble
219. Cinnamomum trichophyllum Quisumb. & Merr.
220. Cinnamomum trinervatum Yen C.Yang
221. Cinnamomum trintaense Kosterm.
222. Cinnamomum tsangii Merr.
223. Cinnamomum tsoi C.K.Allen
224. Cinnamomum utile Kosterm.
225. Cinnamomum vacciniifolium Kosterm.
226. Cinnamomum validinerve Hance
227. Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
228. Cinnamomum villosulum S.Lee & F.N.Wei
229. Cinnamomum vimineum Nees
230. Cinnamomum virens R.T.Baker
231. Cinnamomum vitiense Kosterm.
232. Cinnamomum walaiwarense Kosterm.
233. Cinnamomum wightii Meisn.
234. Cinnamomum wilsonii Gamble
235. Cinnamomum woulfei Kosterm.
236. Cinnamomum xanthoneurum Blume

Cultural Significance

Cinnamomum has played a significant role in human history and culture for millennia. Its use dates back to ancient civilizations, where it was prized as a spice, incense, and medicine. In ancient Egypt, cinnamon was used in the embalming process and as an offering to the gods. In traditional Chinese medicine, cinnamon bark is believed to have warming properties and is used to treat various ailments.

The spice trade, driven by the demand for cinnamon and other precious spices, shaped the course of history, leading to exploration, colonization, and cultural exchange. Today, cinnamon remains a beloved spice worldwide, used in both sweet and savory dishes, adding a touch of warmth and complexity to culinary creations.

Beyond the Spice

While cinnamon is undoubtedly the most well-known product of the Cinnamomum genus, it is far from its only contribution. Camphor, derived from Cinnamomum camphora, has been used for centuries as a topical analgesic and antipruritic. It is also used in the production of celluloid, insect repellents, and embalming fluids.

Essential oils extracted from various Cinnamomum species are used in aromatherapy and perfumery, prized for their calming and invigorating scents. The wood of some species is also valued for its durability and fragrance, used in furniture making and construction.

A Continuing Fascination

My exploration of the Cinnamomum genus has been a journey of discovery, revealing the multifaceted nature of these remarkable plants. From the familiar warmth of cinnamon in my favorite dishes to the intriguing history of its use in ancient cultures, I find myself continually drawn to the allure of this genus.

As I delve deeper into the world of Cinnamomum, I am eager to learn more about its diverse species, their ecological roles, and their potential applications. I believe that this genus holds a wealth of untapped knowledge, waiting to be uncovered through scientific inquiry and appreciation for the natural world.