Chemistry of Essential Oils

LAUEACE^E 167

bright deep-green colour upon the surface and are much thicker than

those of the camphor tree (a large one often measuring about 13 cm.

in length, and 4'5 cm. in width), and are slender in form with a parti-

cularly pointed apex which frequently reaches a length of 1 cm. On

examination of a specimen collected in November, a large terminal leaf-

bud about 1 cm. in length and 0*5 cm. in diameter was found on the

upper end of every young branch, by observation of which the tree may

also be distinguished from the camphor tree. The latter test, however,

being only practicable when the shoots with leaves attached are within

reach, it is highly advisable to employ the former test at the same time,

in order to ensure a correct determination."

The following are the physical characters of a number of samples of

this oil, distilled from the wood of trees collected in various localities.

Place

of

Origin.

Shinchiku

)f

Kosempo

Arisan

„

Tebutegai

No.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10

1 2 3 4 5 6 1 3 4 5 8

13

Colour.

Faint yellow

Colourless

Light yellow

Colourless

Faint yellow

Colourless

Faint yellow

Yellow

Light yellow

Faint „

Light ,,

Almost col-

ourless

Bright red

Faint yellow

Light „

Faint „

Light „

d at t°.

0-908

0'910

0-911

0-951

0-912

0-900

0-927

0-945

0-933

0-914

0-910

0-968

0-939

0-993

0-949

0-993

0-925

0*943

0-970

1-030

0-993

0-965

0-908

9

11

25

26

25

26

,}

• •

a

D at t

+ 29-50

+ 23-25

+ 15-88

+ 14-90

+ 24-55

+ 23-50

+ 22-30

+ 18-50

+ 15-25

+ 22-20

+ 34-45

+ 12-83

+ 14-40

+ 8-55

+ 16-65

+ 13-25

+ 12-40

+ 19-31

+ 16-25

O

5

ii1

25

26

25

»

25* 1

„

+ 7-75 20

+ 11-05

+ 13-34

+ 24-25

aD at t

1-47753

1-47478

1-47468

1-48713

1-47567

1-47665

1-48133

1-48471

1*48094

1-47694

1-48326

1-49466

1-48490

1-50088

1-48971

1-50227

1-47912

1-48971

1-49693

1-51302

1-50237

1-49429

1-47987

O

20£

19J

20

18

20

19

20

20£

20

19

26

25£

25

)(

25*

25

•<

Odour.

Slightly re-

sembling oil

of savin

Sweetish, and

as that of

No. 1

Same as No. 1

,,

Recalling oil

of nutmeg

—

Reminding of

oil of nutmeg

—

—

.—

Recalling oil

of sweet

marjoram

—.

Reminding of

oil of nutmeg

—

—

Colour-

Reaction

with

Mercuric

Sulphate.

Trace?

+

Trace?

+

+

Trace?

+

Trace?

(?)

Trace?

+

(?)

+

(?)

+

Trace?

+

The acid value of this oil is always below 1 and the ester value does

not exceed 2'5. A large amount of free alcohols, however, is present,

the ester value after acetylation varying from 46 to 129.

The following constituents were identified in the oil: formaldehyde,

sabinene, dipentene, a-terpinene, y-terpinene, terpinenol-4, geraniol,

citronellol, safrol, and eugenol.