Cinnamomum loureiroi (bark)

Nomenclature

Cinnamomum loureirii Nees   Lauraceae  
Standardized common name (English): Saigon cinnamon

Introduction

Introduction from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saigon_cinnamon, retrieved 02/23/2012).

Saigon Cinnamon (Cinnamomum loureiroi, also known as Vietnamese cinnamon or Vietnamese cassia and Quế Trà My or Quế Thanh in Vietnam) is an evergreen tree in the genus Cinnamomum, indigenous to mainland Southeast Asia. Despite its name, it is more closely related to cassia (C. aromaticum) than to cinnamon (C. verum), though in the same genus as both. Saigon cinnamon has 1-5% essential oil in content and 25% cinnamaldehyde in essential oil, which is the highest of all the cinnamon species. Consequently, out of the three forms of Cassia, it commands the highest price.

The scientific name was originally spelled as Cinnamomum loureirii, but because the species is named after the botanist João de Loureiro, this is to be treated under the ICBN as an orthographic error for the correctly derived spelling of loureiroi.

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Microscopic Entries

Saigon Cinnamon (powdered bark) (Cinnamomum loureiroi), Lauraceae. (Vietnamese Cassia)Histology much like that of Cassia; bast cells somewhat larger. Starch and sclerenchyma cells much as in Cinnamon aromaticum. Numerous small epidermal cells with thickened walls. Resin cells and crystals as in the other cinnamons. Source: Schneider, A. (1921) The Microanalysis of Powdered Vegetable Drugs, 2nd ed.