ANNONA FAMILY (ANNONACEAE) 



40. Ilan-ilan, ylang-ylang 



This East Indian ornamental tree is identified 

 by: (1) branches and twigs droopin<j and bearing 

 leaves characteristieally in ;2 rows; (2) thin ovate 

 to oblong leaves long-pointed at apex and rounded 

 at base; (3) odd, strongly fragrant, large though 

 inconspicuous, yellow or greenish-yellow flowers 

 with very narrow and long-pointed drooping 

 petals 3-5 inches long and only i/4-% inch broad, 

 1-3 at base of a leaf; and (-1) distinctive fruit 

 <'onsisting of 8-15 spreading, elliptic, fleshy, green 

 to black berries mostly %-l inch long, resembling 

 olives, spreading on stalks in a cluster 3-4 inclies 

 across, all formed from 1 flower. 



A small to medium-sized evergreen tree attain- 

 ing 40 feet in height and 1 foot in trunk diameter, 

 with a spreading crown. Reported to become a 

 large tree in its native home. The bark is light 

 to dark brown and smoothish, becoming fissured 

 and rougli. Inner bark is light brown, fibrous, and 

 slightly bitter. Twigs are liglit green when young, 

 becoming brown, with slight spicy taste. 



The light green ]:)etioles of the alternate leaves 

 are V^-^s incli long. The thin blades are 3-8 

 inches long and IVo-S inches wide, the edges with- 

 out teeth, slightly shiny green above and dull light 

 green beneath. 



Flowers are borne in profusion on long slender 

 light green stalks 1-2 inches long scattered along 

 the twigs at leaf bases. The calyx has 3 broad 

 pointed yellow-green lobes i/i mch long, spreading 

 and slightly turned back; the 6 slightly thickened 

 straplike petals are green wheii young, turning to 

 greenish yellow and yellow, the inner 3 reddish 

 tinged at base inside; very numerous stamens less 

 tlian 1/8 inch long, crowded into a triangtilar mass, 

 pointed and becoming reddish tinged at apex; and 

 8-15 separate green ])istils crowded in center, less 



Cananga odorata (Lam,) Hook. f. & Thorns.* 



than 14 inch long, the stigmas in a sticky mass. 



Several fruits developing from a flower have al- 

 most tasteless flesh and usually 4 or 5 rounded flat 

 light brown seeds i/4 ii^^h or more in diameter 

 ((),40() to a pound). In flower and fruit through 

 most of the year. 



The sapwood is whitish. The soft wood is not 

 durable. Wiere the trees are native, small canoes 

 and drums have been made from the trunks. 



A valuable volatile oil, known as oil of ilang- 

 ilang anil employed in perfumes, is the principal 

 product of this tree. It is distilled from the flowers 

 in the Phili])pines, East Indies, and India. The 

 iiihaliitants of the East Indies anoint their heads 

 and bodies with the oil or decorate themselves 

 with garlands of the flowers. 



Occasionally planted as an ornamental and for 

 its fragrance along the coast of Puerto Rico and 

 the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas and perhaps 

 others). 



Range. — Xative of the Malayan region, includ- 

 ing southern India, Java, Philippines, Malay 

 Archipelago, and tropical Pacific islands. Spar- 

 ingly introduced in other tropical regions and 

 spread from cultivation. Planted in Cuba, His- 

 paniola, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands, Guade- 

 lope (recorded as naturalized), and perhaps others 

 of "West Indies. Also in southern Florida, a rela- 

 tively recent inti'oduction in Central America, and 

 in South America. 



Other foMMON names. — ilang-ilang (Puerto 

 Rico, Virgin Islands) ; ilan-ilan, ilang-ilang 

 (Spanish) ; cadmia, cananga (Colombia) ; ylang- 

 ylang (United States, English) ; ylang-ylang 

 (Guadeloupe). 



BoTAxicAL SYNONYM. — Canangkvm odoratum 

 (Lam.) Baill. 



106 



