Robigk at 02:06, 5 March 2026

2026-03-05T02:06:25Z

New page

{{Short description|Spice plant native to India}}
{{about|the ointment and the leaves from which it was prepared|one of the plants which was a source of those leaves|Cinnamomum tamala}}
{{Refimprove|date=June 2009}}

[[File:Cinnamomum malabatrum at Kadavoor.jpg|thumb|''[[Cinnamomum malabatrum]]'', young leaves, [[Kerala]], India]]
'''Malabathrum''', '''malabathron''', or '''malobathrum''' is the name used in classical and medieval texts for certain [[cinnamon]]-like aromatic plant leaves and an ointment prepared from those leaves. ''[[Cinnamomum tamala]]'' (sometimes given as ''Cinnamomum tejpata''), grown most commonly in the eastern Himalayas, but also in the Western Ghats, is thought to be a notable source of these leaves,<ref name="casson1989p241">Casson, Lionel. ''The Periplus Maris Erythraei: Text With Introduction, Translation, and Commentary'' 1989. Princeton University Press {{ISBN|0-691-04060-5}} p. 241</ref> although other species of ''[[Cinnamomum]]'' and even plants in other genera<ref>{{cite web | url = http://latinlexicon.org/definition.php?p1=2034384&p2=m&p3=2 | title = Latin Lexicon | accessdate = 2012-11-07}}</ref> may have been used. In ancient [[Greece]] and [[Rome]], the leaves were used to prepare a fragrant oil, called ''oleum malabathri'', and were therefore valuable.

==History==
Malabathrum is mentioned in the first century [[Greek language|Greek]] text ''[[Periplus Maris Erythraei]]'' and sourced to a people called 'Sêsatai', identified with Kirradai ([[Kirata]]) of Ptolemy.<ref>Casson, Lionel. ''The Periplus Maris Erythraei: Text With Introduction, Translation, and Commentary'' 1989. Princeton University Press {{ISBN|0-691-04060-5}} pp. 241–242</ref> Though malabathrum was a product of [[Northeast India]], it was rarely traded by the western traders at the mouth of the Ganges (which is much closer to the source) but at southwestern Indian ports of [[Muziris]]/[[Nelcynda]].<ref>Casson, Lionel. ''The Periplus Maris Erythraei: Text With Introduction, Translation, and Commentary'' 1989. Princeton University Press {{ISBN|0-691-04060-5}} p. 16</ref> It is mentioned in the ''Periplus'' that some people collected the green leaves after the Sêsatai in the northeast prepared them and carried them to the ports of trade.<ref>"Thus, three grades of malabathron are produced, and then they are transported into India by the people who make them." Periplus Chap 65. Casson, Lionel. ''The Periplus Maris Erythraei: Text With Introduction, Translation, and Commentary'' 1989. Princeton University Press {{ISBN|0-691-04060-5}} pp. 91–93</ref> In the language of Kerala, Malayalam, the plant is called ''vazhana''. It is also known as ''edana'' in Malayalam. The name malabathrum is used in mediaeval texts to describe the dried leaves of a number of trees of the genus ''[[Cinnamomum]]'', which were thought to have [[medicine|medicinal]] properties.{{citation needed|date=November 2012}}

The Greeks used ''kásia'' ([[Cinnamomum cassia|cassia]]) or ''malabathron'' to flavour wine, with absinth wormwood (''[[Artemisia absinthium]]''). ''De Re Coquinaria'', a cookbook sometimes attributed to the Roman gourmet Marcus Gavius [[Apicius]], uses malabathrum leaves (''folia'') in several recipes and for distilling an oil used in a caraway-sauce for oysters.<ref>''De re coquinaria'', I, 29, 30; IX, 7</ref> Malabathrum is among the spices that, according to ''De Re Coquinaria'', any good kitchen should contain.

Malabathrum from Egypt (Dioscorides I, 63) was based on beef fat and contained cinnamon, as well; one pound cost 300 ''denarii''.

==Etymology==
The word "malabathrum" is the Hellenization of the [[Sanskrit]] word ''tamālapattram'' (तमालपत्त्रम्), literally meaning "dark-tree leaves", with the ''ta'' being mistaken for the Greek definite article.<ref name="casson1989p241"/>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Pharmacognosy]]
[[Category:Periplus of the Erythraean Sea]]

Malabathrum - Revision history

Robigk at 02:06, 5 March 2026