-510 THE CHEMISTKY OF ESSENTIAL OILS
named is the product of an entirely different plant. The true champaca
oil is distilled from the flowers of Michelia Champaca, a plant cultivated,
and also growing wild, in the forests of the Himalayas, from Nepul and
Kumaon eastwards ; and also in the Nilghiris and Travancore, Java and
the Philippines. The flowers, which are of an exquisite odour, are not
unlike a double narcissus. The essential oil distilled from the flowers is
known in India as Pand or Champa-ka-utter. The oil is known as
Yellow Champaca, whilst that from Michelia longifolia is known as White
Champaca.
The following interesting account of the plant is due to Professor
Perrot,^1 director of the laboratory of Materia Medica at the Higher
.School of Pharmacy of Paris :—
" Michelia Champaca L. (Michelia rufinervis D.C., Michelia aurantiaca
Wall, MicheliaRheedi Wight, Magnoliaceae) is a native of India. It is found
there in all parts of the country more or less plentifully, but it occurs chiefly
in tropical India : in Nepaul, Assam, and Bengal. In the South and in the
Himalaya district it still exists in the wild state, but is less generally
distributed. The tree is applied to numerous uses and is known by
different names according to the district: Champaca, Champaka in Ben-
gal, Tita-sapa in Assam, Oulia Champ, in Nepaul; it is also known
in other parts of the country under the names of Shampang, Shimbu,
Sempangam, Sampige, Champakam, Saga, Sapu, etc. It is also cultivated
in the Philippine Islands. This large tree, which is an evergreen, prefers
sandy soils. It is of fairly large size, since a man can scarcely encircle
the trunk with his arms.
"The flowers, of a yellow colour, are produced at the tops of the
branches and are carried by stout peduncles of a yellowish-green colour,
polished and erect. The number of flower heads may vary slightly ; in
general there are eight heads to the verticillaster.
" There are two flowerings annually, and the tree only yields fruits
after some years.
" The numerous applications of the Michelia Champaca make it a
valuable plant, which is regarded in some districts as sacred.
The flowers adorn the turbans of the men and the hair of the women.
The natives of Malaya, Java, Macassar, and the Philippines use them in
a like manner. They wear the flowers in their clothing, and employ
them for the decoration of their nuptial beds.
" These flowers likewise serve as offerings in the Hindu temples. The
trees also are frequently found in the vicinity of the temples.
" The perfume of the flowers of the Philippine Champaca is stronger
:and sweeter than that of the Singapore, Penang, Colombo, and Pera-
-deniya flowers. It would appear that it is the same with this tree as
with the ylang, which does not yield the same essential oil in Java, the
Straits, or Ceylon, as in the Philippines."
It is doubtful whether the commercial oil is ever distilled from the
yellow flowers alone, so that the champaca oil of commerce is probably
the product of the flowers of Michelia Champaca and Michelia longifolia.
Oils produced by maceration of the true champaca flowers from
Java plants in petroleum oil and distillation by steam at very low pressure
were found by Bacon^2 to have the following characters :—
1
Roure-Bertrand Fils, Bulletin, April, 1909, 24.
* Philip. Jour. Sc. (1909), 181.