ELEML 183 



Canarium commune, Linn., is a tree of 40 to 60 feet in 

 height, native of Amboyna, Luzon, Suncla, the Mohiccas and 

 Penang. It is also cultivated in Java and has been grown in the 

 Gardens in Calcutta, where, however, it did not thrive. This tree 

 is not identified as the certain source of the Elemi, although the 

 question has occupied much attention by several observers. It is 

 described and figured by Bentley and Trimen in Med. Plant., t. 61, 

 from a specimen in the British Museum, a woodcut is also fur- 

 nished, drawn from specimens of a variety of G.comjnune(ov species of 

 Canarium) received by them from H.M. Consul at Manilla, which may 

 be probal:>ly that from which Manilla Elemi is obtained. The Consul 

 communicates the information as follows : — '' The tree is very rare 

 or almost unknown close to Manilla, but is abundant in the hills 

 about 20 miles off, where it extends from the valleys to an 

 elevation of 2000 feet. The tree is 30 or 40 feet high, and the 

 greenish flowers appear in April and May ; the wood is very hard 

 and abundance of the white resin (' Brea ') exudes from the cut 

 bark. Two kinds of this tree are distinguished and called 

 locally, Sciin and Bill ; the latter has larger leaves and affords the 

 best "Brea." The illustration on next page is copied from a woodcut 

 in Bentley and Trimen's Med. Plants., drawn from the specimens 

 supplied by the Consul at Manilla as above mentioned. These 

 figures show the young flowers (figs. 1 and 2), fruit (fig. 7), and a 

 leaflet (fig. 8), of the Sain variety. The tree appears to differ from 

 C. commune only in its smaller and less tapering leaflets, more 

 deeply-lobed calyx and longer and narrower fruit. Fig. 3 shows 

 a flower enlarged ; fig. 5 a vertical section of the calyx and pistil ; 

 fig. 4 a petal ; and fig. 6 a transverse section of the fruit. 



Messrs. Bentley & Trimen further observe that these above- 

 mentioned specimens appear to agree with another plant described 

 by Camelli as Terehinthus Luzonis altera, which the Consul states 

 affords a more copious white and odoriferous resin than the 

 Laguaan.^ The native names he gives for this are Sagnan, Filis, 

 and Pilavay, the two first of which may well be other forms of the 

 names Sain and BlU. Camelli's excellent unpublished drawing 

 of the plant (MSS., Sloane, fol. 151) agrees well with the Consul's 

 specimens." 



* Laguaan, Lauvan and Pagsamgan are native names for Terehinthus 

 Luzonis prima of Camelli in Ray's History of Plants, and he says the plant is 

 called Arbol de la Brea by the Spaniards. His drawing in the British Museum 

 (MSS., Sloane, 5288, fol. 227) fairly represents C. commune. 



