Cinnamomum verum

Cinnamomum verum Presl.

Family       : Lauraceae

Common Name : കറുവ (Mal)

:दालचीनी(Hin)

: Cinnamon(Eng)

Cinnamon is a small evergreen tree 10–15 meters tall, native to Sri Lanka and South India. The bark is widely used as a spice due to its distinct odour. In India it is also known as "Daalchini". The leaves are ovate-oblong in shape, 7–18 cm long. The flowers, which are arranged in panicles, have a greenish color, and have a distinct odor. The fruit is a purple 1 cm berry containing a single seed. 

Trees, to 20 m high, bark 8-10 mm thick, brown, rough, cracks vertical; branchlets glabrous. Leaves simple, opposite or subopposite, 9.5-14 x 3.5-5.5 cm, ovate, elliptic ovate or elliptic-lanceolate, apex acute to acuminate, base acute, margin entire, glabrous, coriaceous, 3-ribbed from base, prominent, glabrous; lateral nerves 3-6 pairs, obscure, pinnate, intercostae reticulate; petiole 8-20 mm, stout, glabrous, slightly grooved above. Flowers bisexual, in terminal and axillary, pedicel 7 mm long, pale yellow, 5 mm long, 6 mm across; perianth 8 mm, silky, tube campanulate, lobes 6, 3 mm long, oblong-lanceolate. Stamens 9 perfect, those of first and second rows opposite the perianth lobes, introrse and eglandular, those of third row opposite the first row, lateral, bearing 2 large glands at the base; staminodes 3, of the forth row opposite the second row, cordate and stipitate. Ovary sessile. Fruit a berry, 1-2 cm, ellipsoid to oblong-ovoid, dark purple, surrounded by the enlarged perianth.

Use: The oils found in Ceylon cinnamon are thought to reduce spasms, reduce gas, and fight bacteria and fungi. Chemicals in Ceylon cinnamon might also work like insulin to lower blood sugar.

Distribution : South West India and Sri Lanka

Flowering & Fruiting : March-April