528 



LAURACE^. 



The bark which bears par excellence the name of Cassia or Cassia 

 lignea, and which is distinguished on the (continent as Chinese Cinim- 

 onon, is a production of the provinces of Kwangtung, Kwan^rsi and 

 Kweichau in Southern China. The French expedition of Lieut Garnier 

 for the exploration of the Mekong and of Cochin China (1866-68) found 

 cassia growing in about N. lat. lO'' in the forests of the valley of the 

 Se Ngum, one of the affluents on the left bank of the Mekong near the 

 frontiers, of Annam. A part of this cassia is carried by land into China, 

 while another part is conveyed to Bangkok.^ Although it is customary 

 to refer it without hesitation to a tree named Cinnamomum Cassia, 

 we find no warrant for such reference: no competent observer has 

 visited and described the cassia-yielding districts of China proper, and 

 brought therefrom the specimens requisite for ascertaining the botanical 

 origin of the bark." 



Cassia lignea is also produced in the Khasya mountains in Eastern 

 Bengal, whence it is brought down to Calcutta for shipment.^ In this 

 region there are three species of Cinnamomum, growing at 1000 to 4000 

 feet above the sea-level, and all have bark with the flavour of cinnamon, 

 more or less pure : they are G. ohtusifoliiiin Nees, CpauGifiorwun Nees, 

 and C Tamala Fr. Nees et Eberm. 



Ginnamomitm iners Reinw., a very variable species occurrin 



2 1^ 



O 



Continental India, Ceylon, Tavoy, Java, Sumatra and other islands of 

 the Indian Archipelago, and possibly in the opinion of Thwaites a mere 

 variety of 0. zeylanicum, but according to Meissner well distinguished 

 by its paler, thinner leaves, its nervation, and the character of its aroma, 

 would appear to yield the cassia bark or wild cinnamon of Southern 

 India.* 



C Tamala Fr. Nees et Eberm., which besides growing in Khasyca is 

 found in tlie contiguous regions of Silhet, Sikkim, Nepal, and Kumaon, 

 and even reaches Australia, probably affords some cassia bark in 

 Northern India. * 



Large quantities of a thick sort of cassia have at times been imported 



In 



from Singapore and Batavia, much of which is produced in Sumatra, 

 the absence of any very reliable information as to its botanical sources, 

 we may suggest as probable mother-plants, C. Cassia Bl. and G. Bni- 

 inanni Bl, var. a. cUnense, both stated by Teijsmann and BinnendijK 

 to be cultivated in Java.' The latter species, growing also in the 

 Philippines, most probably affords the cassia bark which is shipped 

 from Manila. 



History— In the preceding article we have indicated (p. 520) tlie 

 remote period at which cassia bark appears to have been known to tno 

 Chinese ; and have stated the reasons that led us to believe the cin- 



s 



^ Thorel, Notes mcJicales du Voyage d Ex- 3 Hooker, Himnlayan JournaU, e<i- 2- »• 



plorationdaMel-orKjetde Cochinchin'e, Paris, 

 1870. 30.~OaruiL'r, Voi/u'/e en Imlo-Chine, 

 n. (Paris. 1873)438. 



- The greatest market in China for cassia 

 anrl oinnainou according to Dr. F. Porter 

 ^mith, 18 faiwu in Ping-nan hicn (Sin-chau 

 "V,mKv.'mirsi province.— J/a^ Ahd. and 

 lyL Ilist.oj China, 1871. 52. -The capital 

 0^ K^^angsi is Kweiliu fu, literally Cm^in- 



(1855) 303. , , ^c r iner-^ 



* A specimen of the stem-hark of C. '«^^_ 



from Travancore, presented t"/'; ./ „jte 

 Waring, has a delightful odour, but is i 



Jlol-tO 



aring, ...lo .. "v—o 

 devoid of the taste of ciuiianion 



B Catalo;/ues Phndnrum n}f"\ jgoG. 

 Botmdro JJogoriensicolunlm; liata\"'. 



92. 



