Lauraceae · Neolitsea

Moolaga Shembaga Palai / Chinese Cinnamon

Neolitsea cassia

TreeMedicinal
Habit
Tree
Found in India
Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh
Flowering
March-May

Plant Details

Scientific name
Neolitsea cassia
Genus
Neolitsea
Family
Lauraceae
Habit
Tree
Habitat
Evergreen and shola forests
Habitat type
Forest
Distribution
Indo-Malesia
Found in India
Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh
Flowering & fruiting
March-May
Conservation status
Not Evaluated (NE)

Leaf characters

Leaf shape
LanceolaterecordedLong and narrow, tapering to a point, like a lance head.Leaves are lanceolate in shape with a slightly pointed base and a tapering pointed apex, about 6–18 cm long and 1.5–4 cm broad. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Leaf surface
GlabrousrecordedSmooth, hairless.The leaf flush is smooth, silvery copper, drooping, crowded at the ends of branchlets, and turn bright green when mature. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Arrangement
Alternate
Simple type leaf character
Type
Simple
Entire margin leaf character
Margin
Entire
Pinnate venation leaf character
Venation
Pinnate

Characters marked “recorded” are for Moolaga Shembaga Palai itself; the rest are typical of the Lauraceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower colour
YellowrecordedPale yellow flowers are seen in small clusters borne on short branchlets on the internodes. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Inflorescence
Panicle
Fruit
Drupe

Characters marked “recorded” are for Moolaga Shembaga Palai itself; the rest are typical of the Lauraceae family — flowering plants only.

Local Names

Tamil
மொலகா செம்பக பாளை Moolaga Shembaga Palai, படபடா Patapataa
Telugu
కుక్క కర్పూరమ
Kannada
ಬಿಳಿ ನಿಸಂಗಿ Bili Nisangi, ಮಸ್ಸಿಮರ Massimara
Malayalam
കീഴമ്പഴം Keezhambazham, പ്രാവരി Praavari, വെള്ളക്കൊടല Vellakkodala
Marathi
चिरचिरा Chirchira, कानवेल Kanvel

About Moolaga Shembaga Palai

Chinese Cinnamon (Neolitsea cassia) is a tree in the Lauraceae family. In India it has been recorded in Tamil Nadu and Arunachal Pradesh. It grows in evergreen and shola forests. Flowering and fruiting run from March to May.

Illustration representing the Lauraceae family
Botanical family

Lauraceae

Laurel/Cinnamon family

Moolaga Shembaga Palai belongs to the Lauraceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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