Statue of Unity – Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat Rain Forest Ektanagar

Cinnamomum malabatrum

Syn. Cinnamomum malabathricum

IUCN Red List Least Concern (LC)

Local name

  • Wild cinnamon (English)
  • Lavanga Patra (Kannada)
  • Priyaniyilai (Tamil)

Tree type

Evergreen Deciduous
Family: Lauraceae
15m

Indicated uses

Medicinal Edible Ornamental Avenue Other

Flowering & fruiting

Flowering Fruiting

Key characters

Cinnamomum malabatrum bark

Bark

Bark smooth, brown, pustular with aromatic smell; blaze pale brown.

Cinnamomum malabatrum leaves

Leaves

Leaves simple, opposite to subopposite; 9.5 to 30 cm in length and 3.5 to 7.5 cm (or up to 9 cm) in width, oblong or elliptic-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, apex acute to acuminate, base acute to attenuate, glabrous, shining above, aromatic,.

Cinnamomum malabatrum flower

Flower

Inflorescence pseudoterminal and axillary lax panicles, many flowered, pubescent.

Cinnamomum malabatrum fruit / seeds

Fruit / Seeds

Berry, ellipsoid; fruiting perianth cup 0.7 cm long with persistent lobes; seeds 1.

Cinnamomum malabatrum

Did you know?

In Ayurveda (where it is known as Danti), Baliospermum solanifolium produces highly aggressive, toxic phorbol esters in its roots and seeds. These compounds act as an extreme “drastic purgative”.

Distribution

World map showing distribution

W. & S. India