Ocotea quixos / Ishpingo / Lauraceae (Laurel family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Flor de la Canela, Ishpingo, Roble Americano, Canela.

Scent

The aroma closely resembles that of Cinnamon.

Contents

The essential oil of Ishpingo fruit calices contains trans-cinnamaldehyde (27.9%), methylcinnamate (21.6%), 1,8-cineole (8.0%), benzaldehyde (3.6%), and β-selinene (2.1%).

Historical

Among the three South American Lauraceae with cinnamon odours, Ocotea quixos Lam. is distinguished with the richest historical legacy. In the 16th century, a large Spanish expedition perished, almost down to the last man, while searching for the origin of this spice.
In the foothills of the Amazon region it has been heavily exploited for its timber. Its bark is used in herbal medicine. Ishpingo has also been used in tea and flavoring.

Plant Description

Tree with lanceolate leaves. Slow growing when young. Only about 6 inches a year for the 1st 2 or 3 years. Leaves have a very pleasant smell like Dentene gum. Bark can be harvested like cinnamon. Seeds are about 3/4 inch in diamter. The tree can be found in the foothills and the Amazon basin of Colombia and Ecuador, from sea level up to 1000m in altitude.

References

Chemical composition and biological activities of Ishpingo essential oil, a traditional Ecuadorian spice from Ocotea quixos (Lam.) Kosterm. (Lauraceae) flower calices
Geographic Spice Index, Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages
Ocotea quixos, American cinnamon, J Ethnopharmacol