Chemistry of Essential Oils

148 THE CHEMISTEY OF ESSENTIAL OILS

becomes yellowish on exposure. It possesses quite a different odour, re-

sembling that of citron or bergamot, so that it would be better distinguished

by the name of Bois de Citron.

" The only definite information concerning the botanical sources of the

Cayenne linaloe wood is that given by Aublet in the Plantes de Guiane

Francaise, page 313. —

" He names the tree Licaria guianensis, and gives an illustration of a

leafy twig of the natural size, a portion of which is reproduced. But he

had not seen either flowers or fruit, although he had met with the tree in

different districts, and in consequence, for many years, botanists were

FIG. 19.—Bois de Rose Stills at Cayenne.
[Rmtre-fier trand Fils.
unable to identify it. He does not apply the name male or female to the
tree, but simply states that it is called Licari kanali by the Galibi Indians,
and Bois de Eose by the French inhabitants. He described it as a large
tree 50 or 60 ft. high, with a trunk 3 ft. or more in diameter, having a
cracked and wrinkled bark of a reddish hue, with a yellowish wood a
little dense (pen compacts).
" This tree, the Licaria guianensis of Aublet, or Cayenne Linaloe,
remained unidentified until 1889 when it was referred by Berlin botanists
in the Jahrbuch des Konigl. Bot. Gard. und des Bot. Museum zu Berlin,
1889, page 378, to Ocotea caudata Mez., a Lauraceous tree of which the
female flowers are still unknown, the plant being dioecious. The wood
of the Cayenne Linaloe, as met with_in commerce in Europe, was sub-