Cinnamomum verum J.Presl, Lauraceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 10 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Cinnamomum zeylanicum Bl.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: cinnamon tree

Fijian: kaloni

French: cannelier de Ceylan

Palauan: ochod ra ngebard

Samoan: tigamoni, tigamoni, tinamoni, tinamoni

Spanish: canela, canelero de Ceilán

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Trees; young branches dark brown, terete, glabrous.  Leaves opposite or subopposite, coriaceous, ovate to broadly ovate, 10-15 cm long, 4-8 cm wide, tripliveined, glabrous, apex blunt or slightly acute, petioles stout, ca. 1 cm long.  Flowers gray pubescent, in axillary, sparsely strigose inflorescences as long as or longer than leaves; tepals 6, equal, erect; fertile stamens 9.  Fruit an ellipsoid berry, ca. 1 cm long, subtended by a cupule with persistent tepals attached to the rim"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 846).

Habitat/ecology:  "Rock outcrops, forests and forest gaps.  The dense canopy shades out all other plants, creating species poor stands that may cover large areas.  Once established, it becomes the dominant tree and eliminates the native forest"  (Weber, 2003; p. 108).

Invading moist secondary forest on Tutuila, American Samoa.  In Fiji, "native, cultivated or perhaps infrequently naturalizing near sea level or river level"  (Smith, 1981; p. 123).  In Hawai‘i, "cultivated and naturalized" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 846).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Asia, but widely cultivated for its bark, which yields cinnamon.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (pp. 4, 11)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1976) (voucher ID: BISH 430423) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 10)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 10)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 151354) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 151355) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 80)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (1998) (p. 23) Voucher cited: Lorence 7918 (PTBG)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 123) Vouchers cited: DA 13494, DA 13580, DA 16966 Perhaps infrequently naturalizing.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1963) (voucher ID: BISH 32743) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1963) (voucher ID: BISH 32746) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 32747) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1947) (voucher ID: BISH 151341) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 123) Vouchers cited: Vetawa 31, DA 7016, DA 7178, DA 12259, DA 16095 Perhaps infrequently naturalizing.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 14349) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1952) (voucher ID: BISH 14350) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1960) (voucher ID: BISH 14351) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 32744) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1963) (voucher ID: BISH 32745) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (p. 146)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1990) (voucher ID: BISH 643072) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 132) Voucher cited: Florence 9268
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (p. 146)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 493057) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2000) (p. 12) Voucher cited: C. Imada & A. Allison 99-47 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 846)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 846) Voucher cited: Zschokke s. n. (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 846)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 71) Vouchers cited: Vieillard s.n., Létocart in MacKee 39603, MacKee 45673
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 151366) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 151363) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Palau Palau (main island group)	Palau Islands (main island group)	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 80)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Palau Islands (main island group)		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1933) (voucher ID: BISH 151365) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Palau Palau (main island group)	Urukthapel Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 151364) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Palau Rock Islands	Chelbacheb Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 611175) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum verum J.Presl
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 6)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 151349) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum zeylanicum J.Presl
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1931) (voucher ID: BISH 151350) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum zeylanicum J.Presl
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 6)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1968) (voucher ID: BISH 28532) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum zeylanicum J.Presl
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1968) (voucher ID: BISH 28612) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum zeylanicum J.Presl
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1973) (voucher ID: BISH 417724) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum zeylanicum J.Presl
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1974) (voucher ID: BISH 417843) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum zeylanicum J.Presl
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 439244) Taxon name on voucher: Cinnamomum zeylanicum J.Presl

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced invasive	Weber, Ewald (2003) (p. 108)

Comments:  Actively invading secondary forest in Samoa (Space & Flynn, 2002) and on Tutuila, American Samoa (Space & Flynn, 2000).

Locally naturalized on Rarotonga and Miti‘aro, Cook Islands (Space & Flynn, 2002).

Control:  See control methods for Cinnamomum camphora.

Additional information:  Information from the World Agroforestry Centre's AgroForestryTree Database.

Additional online information about Cinnamomum verum is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Cinnamomum verum may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1929. Voucher specimen #BISH 151349 (Christophersen, E. 716).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1929. Voucher specimen #BISH 151354 (Wilder, G.P. 762).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1929. Voucher specimen #BISH 151355 (Wilder, G.P. 762).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1931. Voucher specimen #BISH 151350 (Christophersen, E. 2075).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1933. Voucher specimen #BISH 151365 (Hosokawa, T. 7500).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1947. Voucher specimen #BISH 151341 (Smith, A.C. 6867).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 14349 (Turbet, M.E. 7016).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 151363 (Fosberg, F.R. 32340).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 151364 (Fosberg, F.R. 32203).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 151366 (Fosberg, F.R. 32378).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1952. Voucher specimen #BISH 14350 (Parham, B.E. 3131).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1960. Voucher specimen #BISH 14351 (Pillay 12259).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1963. Voucher specimen #BISH 32743 (Qoro, I. 13494).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1963. Voucher specimen #BISH 32745 (Watkins, G. FD 567).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1963. Voucher specimen #BISH 32746 (Parham, J.W. 13580).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1968. Voucher specimen #BISH 28532 (Bristol, M.L. 2000).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1968. Voucher specimen #BISH 28612 (Bristol, M.L. 2080).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1969. Voucher specimen #BISH 32744 (Koroiveibau, D. 16095).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1969. Voucher specimen #BISH 32747 (Parham, J.W. 16966).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1973. Voucher specimen #BISH 417724 (Whistler, W.A. W 663).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1974. Voucher specimen #BISH 417843 (Whistler, W.A. W 1652).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1976. Voucher specimen #BISH 430423 (Whistler, W.A. W 3761).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1978. Voucher specimen #BISH 439244 (Cox, P.A. 20).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 493057 (Florence, J. 2580).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1990. Voucher specimen #BISH 643072 (Florence 10645).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1991. Voucher specimen #BISH 611175 (Herbst, D.R. 9560).

Florence, J. 2004. Flore de la Polynésie française, Vol. 2. Paris. IRE Editions, Publications Scientifiques, Collection Faune et Flore Tropicales 41. 503 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Otobed, D./Sachet, M.-H./Oliver, R. L./Powell, D. A./Canfield, J. E. 1980. Vascular plants of Palau with vernacular names. Department of Botany, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 43 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. 2000. New Hawaiian plant records for 1999. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1999. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 63:9-16.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim. 1998. Checklist of the plants of Pohnpei. Unpublished checklist. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 21 pp.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McCormack, Gerald. 2007. Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage. On-line database.

Smith, Albert C. 1981. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 2. 810 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Observations on invasive plant species in American Samoa.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 51 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of the Cook Islands on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 146 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Weber, Ewald. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. 548 pp.

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1984. Annotated list of Samoan plant names. Economic Botany 38:464.489.