200 PHILIPPINE RESINS, GUMS, AND OILS 
KALINGAG OIL 
The bark of Cinnamomum mercadoi is used locally as medicine 
and would probably, on account of its strong sassafras odor and 
taste, make a good ingredient for root beers. 
Bacon * made a chemical investigation of this bark and re- 
ported his results as follows: 
* * * JT obtained 25 kilos of bark from the Lamao region, Bataan 
Province. This bark was ground and distilled with steam, giving 260 
grams (1.04 per cent) of a light yellow oil. The oil had an odor like 
sassafras and the following properties: Specific gravity 30 = 1.0461; 







30° 30° : 
N=—=1.5270; A — =+4. > * > 
io) Dear 
The oil was distilled at 10 millimeters and gave the following fractions: 
No. seen Quantity.| N = 
Degrees. | Grams. 
Doe 5 eR A Se ee ee a ee a ee 119-124 77° |) 15888 | 
Dighor = = Gite Th Sh Bae Oe lt Le SR Re ee 2 Wn eee ee | 124-130 9.2 | 1.5320 
BES set Ao te ele eae oe Sek os wa ays em es See ee | Residue 11.5 | 1.5278 



Fraction No. 1 redistilled at ordinary pressure had a boiling point 235° 
to 238° at 760 millimeters; specific gravity, = =1.0681; N 9) =1.5335; 
A - —+0.9. By oxidation with chromic acid this fraction gives pipero- , 
nylic acid melting at 227°. Piperonal was obtained by heating with 
alcoholic potash and then oxidizing with potassium permanganate. 
These results leave no doubt but that the oil from Cinnamomum mer- 
cadoi Vid. is almost entirely safrol, and it is remarkable in this respect, 
as most oils from Cinnamomum species contain only small amounts of safrol 
and large percentages of cinnamic aldehyde. * * * 
Cinnamomum mercadoi is a small to medium-sized tree up to 
65 centimeters in diameter. It is usually straight but not very 
tall. The leaves are opposite, smooth, leathery, pointed at both 
ends, distinctly three-nerved, and from 8 to 20 centimeters in 
length. The fruits are about 2 centimeters long and surrounded 
to the middle by the persistent calyx. 
This species is very widely distributed and well known, but 
rather scarce. Quantities of bark sufficient for commercial 
utilization could be collected, if it were of sufficient value. 
CINNAMOMUM MINDANAENSE Elm. (Fig. 65). MINDANAO CINNAMON. 
Local names: Kalingag (Surigao); canela (Span. in Zamboanga). 

* Bacon, R. F., Philippine terpenes and essential oils, III. Philippine 
Journal of Science, Section A, Volume 4 (1909), page 114. 
