Cinnamomum mercadoi

Cinnamomum mercadoi (Kalingag) is a small tree, about 6 to 10 metres (20 to 33 ft) high, with a thick, aromatic bark. The plant part of the Lauraceae family, which contains about 45 genera and 2000-2500 species, and is related to the culinary cinnamon, sassafras, and bay tree. The plant is indigenous to the Philippines, where it grows best in forests at low and medium altitudes that sometimes ascend to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). C. mercadoi is unusual in the cinnamon family in that its essential oil consists large amounts of safrol, whereas other oils of cinnamon contain cinnamaldehyde. It is currently listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as "vulnerable" due to the overharvesting and the continuous loss of the Philippine forests.

Distribution

Cinnamomum mercadoi is only found in the Philippines, from the Babuyan Islands and northern Luzon to Mindanao.

Habitat and ecology

C. mercadoi plants are monoecious and are variable in the height, shape, size, and texture of the leaves. They typically grow in primary and secondary forests with altitudes of about 300 to 700 metres (980 to 2,300 ft) but are able to ascend to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). They grow best in subtropical and mild temperate forest conditions where high humidity and relatively stable, mild temperatures are found. They also grow best in pH levels of about 4 to 5 and their seeds are mainly dispersed via birds such as the fruit-specialized hornbills which account for the scattered distribution and regeneration of the tree species across the island.