ESSENTIAL OILS 189 



Family ANNONACEAE 



Genus CANANGIUM 



CANANGIUM ODORATUM (Lam.) Baill. (Figs. 61-62). Ilang-ilANG. 

 Local names: Alangigan (Ilocos Norte and Sur, Abra, Lepanto) ; ala- 

 ngilan (Mindoro) ; anangilan (Surigao) ; anangirnyi (Manobo) ; biirak 

 (Leyte) ; ilang-ilang (Ilocos Sur, Zambales, Tayabas, Bataan, Rizal, Ma- 

 nila, Laguna, Mindoro, Balabac Island, Masbate, Guimaras Island, Ticao 

 Island, Davao, Surigao); taiigid, tangit (Camarines, Albay, Sorsogon). 



ILANG-ILANG OIL 



Ilang-ilang * oil is obtained by steam-distilling the flowers of 

 Canangium odoratum, in perfume literature sometimes called 

 "the flower of flowers." The best grade of distilled oil is almost 

 colorless, having only a slight yellow tint. The inferior grades 

 are greenish yellow. A very high-grade oil is also obtained by 

 extracting the flowers with petroleum ether. This oil usually 

 appears very dark. 



Ilang-ilang oil is extensively used in the perfumery industry. 

 It is employed in the preparation of high grade perfumes such 

 as lily of the valley, corylopsis, etc. 



Askinson f gives the formulas of various perfumes containing 

 ilang-ilang as one of the principal constituents. The formula 

 of one of these perfumes is as follows : 



Heliotrope 



Oil of ylang-ylang drops.... 20 



Geraniol do 10 



Benzaldehyde do 2 



Heliotropin grains... 35 



Vanillin do 6 



Coumarin do 4 



Tincture of musk (xylene 1007^) do 40 



Cologne spirit (959f) enough to make quart.... 1 



The manufacture of ilang-ilang oil is the most important, in 

 fact, it is practically the only perfume industry in the Philip- 

 pines. This oil is peculiarly a product of the Philippines. Ac- 

 cording to Parry % oil distilled in other tropical countries from 

 the same tree is not ranked in the same class as the Philippine 

 product as regards quality. The value and amount of ilang- 

 ilang exported from the Philippine Islands for the last four 

 years are given in Table 30. 



* Frequently spelled ylang-ylang. 



t Askinson, G. W., Perfumes and cosmetics, (1915). 

 t Parry, E. J., Chemistry of essential oils and artificial perfumes, 

 (1908). 



