AgroForestryTree Database
Cinnamomum iners
 Species identityEcology and distributionPropagation and managementFunctional usesPests and diseasesAdditional InfoBibliographyImages |
Species identity
TaxonomySynonym(s)
Common names
(Burmese) : hmanthin
(Filipino) : namog (Filipino), wild cinnamon
(Indonesian) : medang kalong (Belitung)
(Lao (Sino-Tibetan)) : 'si khai t[oox]n2
(Malay) : kayu manis hutan
(Thai) : kradangnga (Kanchanaburi)
(Vietnamese) : qu[ees] l[owj]n
Botanic description
A medium-sized tree up to 24 m tall, bole up to 60 cm in diameter, bark surface smooth, lenticellate, greyish-brown, inner bark pinkish. Leaves opposite or subopposite, (5-)7.5-30 cm x 2-13 cm, base cuneate, rarely rounded, apex blunt to acute, often glaucous below, 3-veined, main veins prominent above, tertiary venation scalariform to scalariform-reticulate, faint to distinct below, petiole 1--2 cm long. Inflorescence an axillary or terminal panicle, up to 18 cm long; flowers sometimes partly unisexual, densely silky hairy. Fruit oblong to narrowly ovoid, c. 1.5 cm x 1 cm, seated on a perianth cup with persistent perianth lobes.
Ecology and distribution
Natural HabitatC. iners is common, occurring in primary and secondary lowland and hill forest, often in moist, rather open locations. C. iners in Sarawak is very tolerant of poor soils and still grows fairly rapidly.
India, Burma (Myanmar), Indo-China, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi and the southern Philippines.
Biophysical limitsAltitude: Up to 1200(-2400) m.
Propagation and management
Propagation methodsAfter depulping, seed should be dried for only a short time and then sown directly afterwards under shade. Viability of fresh seed is about 40%. Stumping of C. iners has been found to be rather successful: 85% of the stumps of 20 cm long and 0.5 cm in diameter developed into healthy plants.Tree Management
All medang species must therefore be excluded from preferential treatment at present. A mixed plantation of C. iners and teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) was not satisfactory, as C. iners did not nurse the teak trees to develop a longer clear bole. Seven years after planting the height of C. iners was only 2-3 m.
Germplasm Management
Seeds cannot be stored, as they very rapidly lose their viability. The number of dry seed per kg is about 6400.
Functional uses
ProductsMedicine: The bark is sometimes traded and called ""mesni"" in Sarawak; it is used as a medicine. Timber: The wood is used as medang, e.g. for house building and cabinet work. Other products: The oil from the leaves is used for flavouring sweets and confectionery. The bark is sometimes used together with the leaves in tea, and also as a substitute for cinnamon. The mucilage has found technical applications, e.g. in the manufacture of mosquito coils, fragrant joss-sticks, plastic products, formica, glue, inner layering of tyres, coating of high-quality paper products, paints and fibre glass.Services
Shade or shelter: The tree is sometimes planted as a shade tree.
Pests and diseasesDiseases: In Java, dieback of C. iners was caused by a fungus identified as Aecidium cinnamomi producing black-brown spots on leaves and twigs.
Additional Information
PropertiesTimber: The density of the wood is 380-685 kg/m cubic at 15% moisture content. Test in Burma at 66% moisture content showed the following mechanical properties: modulus of rupture is 65 N/mm cubic, modulus of elasticity 10 915 N/mm cubic, compression parallel to grain 33 N/mm cubic, compression perpendicular to grain 5.5 N/mm cubic, compression shear 7 N/mm cubic and janka side hardness is 3190 N. At 12% moisture content, modulus of rupture is 93.5 N/mm cubic, modulus of elasticity 12 570 N/mm cubic, compression parallel to grain 52 N/mm cubic, compression perpendicular to grain 5.5 N/mm cubic, compression shear 7.5 N/mm cubic and janka side hardness is 4390 N.
Yields
Yield: In the Elmerrillia ovalis (Miq.) Dandy forest in North Sulawesi, the estimated timber volume of C. iners was 4.5-15 m¦/ha.