''Cryptocarya agathophylla'' (sometimes called clove nutmeg) is a member of the laurel family,

Lauraceae Lauraceae, or the laurels, is a plant family that includes the true laurel and its closest relatives. This family comprises about 2850 known species in about 45 genera worldwide (Christenhusz & Byng 2016 ). They are dicotyledons, and occur ma ...

, and originates in

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

. Malagasy names include ', ', ' and '. The former genus name ''Ravensara'' is a latinization of the Malagasy word '.

Description

''Cryptocarya agathophylla'' is a small to medium-sized tree, growing up to 15 meters high. The leaves and twigs of ''C. agathophylla'' have a mildly camphorous aroma similar to

eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as euca ...

Range and habitat

''Cryptocarya agathophylla'' is endemic to Madagascar. It grows in humid and subhumid lowland forests and lower montane forests and secondary vegetation between 10 and 1,300 meters elevation. It is known from 11 locations in the central and eastern parts of Bongolava, Vatovavy Analanjirofo and Alaotra-Mangoro regions. Its estimated

extent of occurrence Extent may refer to: Computing * Extent (file systems), a contiguous region of computer storage medium reserved for a file * Extent File System, a discontinued file system implementation named after the contiguous region * Extent, a chunk of st ...

(EOO) is 116,739 km², the minimum

area of occupancy Area is the quantity that expresses the extent of a region on the plane or on a curved surface. The area of a plane region or ''plane area'' refers to the area of a shape or planar lamina, while '' surface area'' refers to the area of an open s ...

(AOO) is 56 km².

Conservation and threats

The species' population is decreasing, and its conservation status is

Near Threatened A near-threatened species is a species which has been categorized as "Near Threatened" (NT) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as that may be vulnerable to endangerment in the near future, but it does not currently qualify fo ...

. It is threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

, principally from shifting agriculture, and also from logging, mining, and grazing.

Essential oil

The

essential oil An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the o ...

of ''C. agathophylla'' is used as a fragrance material in the

perfumery Perfume (, ; french: parfum) is a mixture of fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agreeable scent. Th ...

industry, and as an

antiseptic An antiseptic (from Greek ἀντί ''anti'', "against" and σηπτικός ''sēptikos'', "putrefactive") is an antimicrobial substance or compound that is applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putre ...

, anti-viral,

antibacterial An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention of ...

, expectorant, anti-infective in natural and

folk medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...

. Primary aromatic components are: *

limonene Limonene is a colorless liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon classified as a cyclic monoterpene, and is the major component in the oil of citrus fruit peels. The -isomer, occurring more commonly in nature as the fragrance of oranges, is a flavoring ag ...

19.38% *

sabinene Sabinene is a natural bicyclic monoterpene with the molecular formula C10H16. It is isolated from the essential oils of a variety of plants including Marjoram, holm oak (''Quercus ilex'') and Norway spruce (''Picea abies''). It has a strained ...

11.40% *

methyl chavicol Estragole (''p''-allylanisole, methyl chavicol) is a phenylpropene, a natural organic compound. Its chemical structure consists of a benzene ring substituted with a methoxy group and an allyl group. It is an isomer of anethole, differing with ...

7.94% *

α-pinene α-Pinene is an organic compound of the terpene class, one of two isomers of pinene. It is an alkene and it contains a reactive four-membered ring. It is found in the oils of many species of many coniferous trees, notably the pine. It is also ...

5.55% *

linalool Linalool () refers to two enantiomers of a naturally occurring terpene alcohol found in many flowers and spice plants. Linalool has multiple commercial applications, the majority of which are based on its pleasant scent (floral, with a touch of ...

5.26% *

methyl eugenol Methyl eugenol (allylveratrol) is a natural chemical compound classified as a phenylpropene, a type of phenylpropanoid. It is the methyl ether of eugenol and is important to insect behavior and pollination. It is found in various essential oils. ...

5.00% *

germacrene Germacrenes are a class of volatile organic hydrocarbons, specifically, sesquiterpenes. Germacrenes are typically produced in a number of plant species for their antimicrobial and insecticidal properties, though they also play a role as insect ph ...

d 4.76% *

terpinen-4-ol Terpinen-4-ol is an isomer of terpineol with the chemical formula C10H18O. A primary constituent of tea tree oil, it is obtained as an extract from the leaves, branches, and bark of ''Melaleuca alternifolia'' Cheel. Despite considerable basic and ...

4.00% * e-

caryophyllene Caryophyllene (), more formally (−)-β-caryophyllene, (BCP), is a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene that is a constituent of many essential oils, especially clove oil, the oil from the stems and flowers of '' Syzygium aromaticum'' (cloves), the ess ...

3.54% * δ-3-

carene 3-Carene is a bicyclic monoterpene consisting of fused cyclohexene and cyclopropane rings. It occurs as a constituent of turpentine, with a content as high as 42% depending on the source. Carene has a sweet and pungent odor, best described as a c ...

3.52% *

myrcene Myrcene, or β-myrcene, is a monoterpene. A colorless oil, it occurs widely in essential oils. It is produced mainly semi-synthetically from '' Myrcia'', from which it gets its name. It is an intermediate in the production of several fragrances. � ...

3.43% * α-terpinene 2.98% * β-pinene 2.91% * γ-

terpinene The terpinenes are a group of isomeric hydrocarbons that are classified as monoterpenes. They each have the same molecular formula and carbon framework, but they differ in the position of carbon-carbon double bonds. α-Terpinene has been isolate ...

2.15% * α-

phellandrene Phellandrenes are a pair of organic compounds that have a similar molecular structure and similar chemical properties. α-Phellandrene and β-phellandrene are cyclic monoterpenes and are double-bond isomers. In α-phellandrene, both double bonds ...

1.99% *

camphene Camphene is a bicyclic organic compound. It is one of the most pervasive monoterpenes. As for other terpenes, it is insoluble in water, flammable, colorless, and has a pungent smell. It is a minor constituent of many essential oils such as tur ...

1.33% * (z)- β-ocimene 1.30% * α-

thujene Thujene (or α-thujene) is a natural organic compound classified as a monoterpene. It is found in the essential oils of a variety of plants, and contributes pungency to the flavor of some herbs such as Summer savory.''PDR for Herbal Medicines'', ...

1.13% * 1,8-

cineole Eucalyptol is a monoterpenoid. A colorless liquid, it is a bicyclic ether. Eucalyptol has a fresh mint-like smell and a spicy, cooling taste. It is insoluble in water, but miscible with organic solvents. Eucalyptol makes up ~70% - 90% of eucaly ...

1.08% * para-

cymene ''p''-Cymene is a naturally occurring aromatic organic compound. It is classified as an alkylbenzene related to a monoterpene. Its structure consists of a benzene ring ''para''-substituted with a methyl group and an isopropyl group. ''p''-Cym ...

0.97% * α-humulene 0.79% * α-

copaene Copaene, or more precisely, α-copaene, is the common (or trivial) chemical name of an oily liquid hydrocarbon that is found in a number of essential oil-producing plants. The name is derived from that of the resin-producing tropical copaiba tree, ...

0.69% * β-

elemene Elemenes are a group of closely related natural chemical compounds found in a variety of plants. The elemenes, which include α-, β-, γ-, and δ-elemene, are structural isomers of each other and are classified as sesquiterpenes. The elemenes c ...

0.63% * δ-

cadinene Cadinenes are a group of isomeric hydrocarbons that occur in a wide variety of essential oil-producing plants. The name is derived from that of the Cade juniper (''Juniperus oxycedrus'' L.), the wood of which yields an oil from which cadinene is ...

0.60% *

terpinolene The terpinenes are a group of isomeric hydrocarbons that are classified as monoterpenes. They each have the same molecular formula and carbon framework, but they differ in the position of carbon-carbon double bonds. α-Terpinene has been isolate ...

0.56% * δ-

0.55% * α-

cubebene Cubebenes are a pair of chemical compounds, classified as sesquiterpenes, first isolated from ''Piper cubeba'' berries, known as cubebs. The volatile oil from the distillation of cubebs is a pale green or blue-yellow viscous liquid with a warm ...

0.47% * α-

terpineol Terpineol is any of four isomeric monoterpenoids. Terpenoids are terpene that are modified by the addition of a functional group, in this case, an alcohol. Terpineols have been isolated from a variety of sources such as cardamom, cajuput oil, p ...

0.38% * α-

guaiene Guaienes are a series of closely related natural chemical compounds that have been isolated from a variety of plant sources. The guaienes are sesquiterpenes with the molecular formula C15H24. α-Guaiene is the most common and was first isolated ...

0.37% *

bornyl acetate Bornyl acetate is a chemical compound. Its molecular formula is C12H20O2 and its molecular weight is 196.29 g/mol. It is the acetate ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an oxoacid (organic or inorganic) in which at least o ...

0.36% * elemol 0.34% *

elemicin Elemicin is a phenylpropene, a natural organic compound, and is a constituent of several plant species' essential oils. Natural occurrence Elemicin is a constituent of the oleoresin and the essential oil of ''Canarium luzonicum'' (also referred ...

0.23% * γ-muurolene 0.22% *

borneol Borneol is a bicyclic organic compound and a terpene derivative. The hydroxyl group in this compound is placed in an '' endo'' position. The exo diastereomer is called isoborneol. Being chiral, borneol exists as enantiomers, both of which are foun ...

0.21% *

bicyclogermacrene Germacrenes are a class of volatile organic hydrocarbons, specifically, sesquiterpenes. Germacrenes are typically produced in a number of plant species for their antimicrobial and insecticidal properties, though they also play a role as insect ph ...

0.20% * γ-cadinene 0.19% * (e)-β-ocimene 0.19% * β-cubebene 0.16% *

eugenol Eugenol is an allyl chain-substituted guaiacol, a member of the allylbenzene class of chemical compounds. It is a colorless to pale yellow, aromatic oily liquid extracted from certain essential oils especially from clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, basil ...

0.12% * α-muurolene 0.11% * δ-amorphene 0.10% * α-eudesmol 0.10% * cis-para-menth-2-en-1-ol 0.10% * ortho-cymene 0.09% * β-selinene 0.09% * β-bourbonene 0.08% * trans-cadina-1,4-diene 0.08% * trans-para-menth-2-en-1-ol 0.08% * cis-sabinene hydrate 0.08% * trans-sabinene hydrate 0.08% *

caryophyllene oxide Caryophyllene (), more formally (−)-β-caryophyllene, (BCP), is a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene that is a constituent of many essential oils, especially clove oil, the oil from the stems and flowers of '' Syzygium aromaticum'' (cloves), the ess ...

0.07% * β-copaene 0.07% *

germacrene b Germacrenes are a class of volatile organic hydrocarbons, specifically, sesquiterpenes. Germacrenes are typically produced in a number of plant species for their antimicrobial and insecticidal properties, though they also play a role as insect ph ...

0.07% * cis-muurola-3,5-diene 0.07% * trans-cadina-1(6),4-diene 0.06% * γ-eudesmol 0.06% * β-eudesmol 0.05% *

guaiol Guaiol or champacol is an organic compound, a sesquiterpenoid alcohol found in several plants, especially in the oil of guaiacum and cypress pine.The Merriam-Webster Dictionary. It is a crystalline solid that melts at 92 ° C.Wolfram Alpha ''Guaio ...

0.05%

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15612952 agathophylla Endemic flora of Madagascar Flora of the Madagascar lowland forests Flora of the Madagascar subhumid forests