Liquidambar 505 
LIQUIDAMBAR ORIENTALIS 
Liquidambar orientalis, Miller, Gard. Dict. No. 2 (1768); Oliver, in Hooker, fcon. Plant. xi. 13, 
t. 1019 (1867); Hanbury, Sccence Papers, 139, with figure (1876); Bentley and Trimen, Medicinal 
Plants, ii. No. 107, t. 107 (1880). 
Ligquidambar imberbe, Aiton, Hort. Kew. iii. 365 (1789); Loudon, Ard. e¢ Frut, Brit. iv. 2053 
(1838). 
A tree attaining in Asia Minor 40 to 60 feet in height. Bark longitudinally 
fissured, with corky irregularly quadrangular scales on the ridges, the orange- 
coloured inner bark visible in the fissures. Young shoots glabrous. Leaves (Plate 
199, Fig. 6) small, averaging 3 inches wide by 24 inches long, palmately cut about 
half-way into five oblong triangular acute lobes, the upper three lobes usually with 
one to four lobules ; base truncate or widely cordate; margin with shallow glandular 
serrations ; upper and lower surfaces quite glabrous in cultivated trees, but with 
axil tufts of pubescence at the base of the under surface in wild specimens. 
Petiole glabrous, swollen at the base, and bearing near its insertion two minute 
triangular stipules. 
Flowers and fruit similar to those of Lzguzdambar styractflua, but smaller. 
Fruiting head about 1 inch in diameter; capsules with more slender beaks than in 
the preceding species ; calyx slightly tuberculate and not spiny. 
In winter the twigs resemble those of the American species, but are more 
slender, with smaller leaf-scars and buds, which are reddish and have six glabrous 
ciliate scales ; short shoots glabrous. 
This species does not apparently develop corky ridges on the branches. 
DISTRIBUTION 
Ligquidambar orientalis is known to occur wild only in the south-western part 
of Asia Minor lying opposite to the island of Rhodes, and in Cilicia, near 
Alexandretta. It forms woods of considerable extent in the district of Sighala, near 
Melasso, and in the vicinity of Budrum, Mughla, Djova, Ughla, Marmoriza, and 
Isgengak. According to Maltass, who obtained specimens for Hanbury, there is a 
fine forest of this species between the village of Caponisi and the town of Mughla, 
many trees attaining 40 feet in height, while in other forests, according to native 
report, they were as high as 60 feet.’ 
Liquid storax, a balsamic resin, obtained from the inner bark of the tree by 
boiling it in water, is exported in considerable quantity from Smyrna and other 
Levantine ports, the bulk of this product going to China and India, where it is 
known in commerce as rose maloes,” Liquid storax is used to a small extent by 
druggists in this country, and is one of the ingredients of ‘“ Friar’s Balsam.” 
1 Elwes passed through this district in 1874 on the way from Makri to Ephesus, but saw no trees of any size. This is a 
very hot country in summer, myrtle, oleander, and arbutus being the common shrubs. 
2 Rose maloes is a corruption of rassamala, the Javanese and Malay name for A/tingta excelsa, Noronha, a tree allied to 
Liguidambar, which yields by incisions in the bark a sweet-scented resin. Cf. Bretschneider, Bor. Stnzcum, iii. 464 (1895). 
