Clausena sanki

(Blanco) Merrill

Rutaceae Edible: Spice, Fruit, Leaves Potential hazards — see below

gbif· cc-by

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

gbif· cc-by

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

gbif· cc-by

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Description

A small tree 3 to 6 m high. The leaves are alternate and 20 to 30 cm long. They are compound with 7 to 11 leaflets with sides of unequal lengths. They are pointed at the tip and 5 to 11 cm long. They have a toothed edge. The leaves have a smell when crushed. The flowers are greenish white, smell and are 8 mm across. They are borne in loose irregular flower arrangements 15 to 20 cm long. The fruit are round and pale yellow. They are 1-1.4 cm across. There are 1-4 seeds.

Edible Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh or made into jam. The leaves provide an anise-like odour and are used in the preparation of alcoholic drinks.

Traditional Uses

The leaves provide an anis-like odour used in the preparation of alcoholic drinks. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer. The fruit are eaten fresh. The fruit are also used for jam.

Medicinal Uses

The leaf oil is used as a mosquito repellent.

Known Hazards

Alcohol is a cause of cancer.

Distribution

A tropical plant. They are widely distributed in some places in the Philippines. They occur from northern Luzon to Bataan and Mindanao in forests at low and medium altitudes. It grows in rainforests and up to 1,500 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Asia, China, Indochina, Indonesia, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, Vietnam,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Notes

There are about 23-30 Clausena species.

Synonyms

Clausena anisum-olens (Blanco) Merr.Clausena emarginata C. C.HuangClausena grandifolia Merr.Clausena laxiflora Quisumb. & Merr.Clausena loheri Merr.Clausena todayensis ElmerClausena warburgii G. PerkinsCookia anisum-olens Blanco

Also Known As

Anis, Danglais, Kayumanis, Klausena anis

References (8)

Fu, Yongneng, et al, 2003, Relocating Plants from Swidden Fallows to Gardens in Southwestern China. Economic Botany, 57(3): 389-402 (As Clausena emarginata)
Hu, Shiu-ying, 2005, Food Plants of China. The Chinese University Press. p 500 (As Clausena anisum-olens)
Martin, F. W., et al, 1987, Perennial Edible Fruits of the Tropics. USDA Handbook 642 p 73 (As Clausena anisum-olens)
Monsalud, M.R., Tongacan, A.L., Lopez, F.R., & Lagrimas, M.Q., 1966, Edible Wild Plants in Philippine Forests. Philippine Journal of Science. p 539 (As Clausena anisum-olens)
PROSEA handbook Volume 13 Spices. p 275 (As Clausena anisum-olens)

Show all 8 references

Publ. Bur. Sci. Gov. Lab. 17:21. 1904 (As Clausena anisum-olens)
Seidemann J., 2005, World Spice Plants. Economic Usage, Botany, Taxonomy. Springer. p 110 (As Clausena anisum-olens)
Sukarya, D. G., (Ed.) 2013, 3,500 Plant Species of the Botanic Gardens of Indonesia. LIPI p 611 (As Clausena anisum-olens)