The Cropwatch Series

Cropwatch    No: 5

       

                  Threatened & Vulnerable Species:                              

A List of Essential Oils Recommended by

Cropwatch Not to Be Used in Aromatherapy.

 

 

© Tony Burfield & Chrissie Wildwood Sept 2004.

 

 

 

Name of commodity

Botanical Name

Geographic Origin

Status of plant

 Amyris oil

syn.W.I sandalwood

Amyris balsamifera L.

Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico.

Vulnerable:

TB (2004); Joulain (1999).

Agarwood oil, resinoids, CO2 extracts etc.

syn. Aloeswood, Malacca eaglewood.

Aquilaria & Gonystylus spp.

India, Malaysia, Indonesia

A. beccariana

van Tieghem.

Vulnerable: IUCN

A. crassna Pierre ex H. Lecomte

Critically Endangered: IUCN

A. cumingiana (Decne) Ridley

Vulnerable: IUCN

A. hirta Ridley

Vulnerable: IUCN

A. malaccensis Lam.

[some say syn. A. agallocha Roxb.]

Listed under CITES (1995) Appendix II

Vulnerable: IUCN

A.    microcarpa Baill.

Vulnerable: IUCN

A. rostrata Ridley

Rare; only in Malaya

A. sinensis (Lour.) Gilg.

Vulnerable: IUCN

Anise Scented Myrtle Oil

Backhousia anisata Vickery

(now renamed

Anetholia anisata)

Bellinger and Nambucca valleys of  NE part of NSW, Australia.

Vulnerable:

due to commercial exploitation: TB (2004).

 

Buchu oils

Agathosma betulina (Bergius) Bartl. & Wendl.

& A. crenulata (L.) Pillans

S. Africa

Vulnerable:

TB (2003)

Calamus oil, India

Acorus calamus L.

India

Becoming rare:

CIMAP (1997)

Cedarwood Oil Atlas

Cedrus atlantica (Endl.) Manetti ex Carr

Morocco, Algeria

Threatened:

(TB 2003)

Under investigation for possible Red List entry:

UNEP-WCMC

Cedarwood oil, Kenyan

Juniperus procera Hochst. Ex Endl.

Kenya

Endangered: FAO (1986)

Lower risk/near threatened: IUCN

Cinnamomum oils

Certain spp. of Cinnamomum genus.

China; India

Vulnerable:

Some Chinese oil-bearing spp: Zhu et al. (1994)

Cinnamomum tamala: “Nearly threatened”: CIMAP (1997)

Costus oil, concr., abs.

Saussurea lappa

CB Clarke

Kashmir, Sikkim, SW China

Protected:

CITES (2003) Appendix I

Ginger-lily oil, abs.

Hedychium coronarium Koenig

India, Hawaii

Endangered in some areas: CIMAP (1977)

Indian Wintergreen oil

Gaultheria fragrantissma Wall.

India

Considerable depletion in wild

esp. S. India CIMAP (1977)

Havozo bark oil

Ravensara anisata (pseudonym for R. aromatica) Danguy et Choux

Madagascar

Vulnerable:

TB (2004)

 

 

See footnote 2

Hinoki Wood Oil

Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl

Japan

Protected:

Japanese Govt. from 1982.

Lower risk/near threatened: IUCN

Inula racemosa oil

Inula racemosa Hook f.

Alpine W. Himalaya

Vulnerable:

Red Data Book of Indian Plants (1988)

Under threat in Himal Pradesh: Chauhan (1988)

Jurinia (Dhoop) roots, rhizomes

Jurinea dolomiaea Boiss.

India, Nepal, Pakistan

Depletion in most areas: CIMAP (1977)

Kapur Kachari oil

Hedychium spicatum Smith

India: Himalaya

Vulnerable

in Uttar Pradesh & Himachal Pradesh: CIMAP (1997)

Mountain tobacco oil, extracts

Arnica montana L.

Spain, Romania

Protected: Annex D of CoE Regulations (EC) No. 338/97 &

Annex V of the EU Habitats, Fauna and Flora Directive (EUROPA 2003)

Orchid Oils

except Vanilla spp.

Various spp. of Orchidaceae

Widely distributed

Orchidaceae:

protected CITES (2003)

& EC reguln. 338/97 (annex B)

Parmelia (Lichen) oil, absolutes, extract

Parmelia nepalensis Tayl. Hook.

Nepal

Export of plant banned: Nelapese Govt 1993. Does not apply to processed material.6

Rosewood Oil

aka Bois de Rose oil

Aniba rosaedora var. amazonica Ducke & other A. spp.

Brazil

Endangered:

IUCN

Threatened:

IBAMA, Brazil (1992)

Rosewood Oil

Ocotea caudata (Nees) Mez. & other Ocotea oils

Brazil

Many Ocotea oils endangered:

Cropwatch (2004)

Santalum acuminatum “Sweet Quandong”

Santalum acuminatum (R. Br.) A. DC

Temperate & W. Australia

Protected:

in S. Australia (law not respected: Holiday 1989)4

(not used for oil production)

Sandalwood Oil East African

Osyris lanceolata Hochst. & Steud.

Tanzania

Threatened:

Cropwatch 3 (2004)

Sandalwood Oil E.I.

Santalum album L.

India

Vulnerable:

IUCN

Oil Export controlled by Madras & Mysore Govts.

Sandalwood

Hawaii

Santalum haleakala Hbd.

Hawaii

Vulnerable:

IUCN

Sandalwood oil Hawaii

Santalum fernandezianum F. Phillipi

Hawaii

Extinct:

IUCN

Santalum insulare

Santalum insulare  Bertero ex A. DC.

French Polynesia

Insufficient data:

Cropwatch (2004)

Santalum lanceolatum oil “Plum bush”

Santalum lanceolatum R. Br.

(Hewson & George 1984)

Australia Queensland, NSW, Victoria, W. Australia

Endangered:

in Victoria &

a threatened taxon under Schedule 2 of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1988)

Santalum murrayanum

“Bitter Quandong”

Santalum murrayanum (T.L. Mitchell) C.A. Gardner

Temperate & W. Australia

Protected:

in S. Australia (law not respected: Holiday 1989)4

(little if any oil produced).

Sandalwood oil New Caledonia

Santalum austrocaledonicum Vieill. var. austrocaledonicum

New Caledonia

Depleted:

Cropwatch (2004)

Sandalwood Papua New Guinea

Santalum macgregorii Fv.Mueller

Papua New Guinea

Endangered:

IUCN

Sandalwood oil Australian

Santalum spicatum (R. Br.) A. DC

Northern S. Australia & S.W. Australia

Protected in some reserves.
Non-sustainably harvested; plantations not yet productive; no impact
assessment (CALM)

Sandalwood Oil Vanuatu

Santalum austro-

caledonicum Vieill.

Vanuatu (Pacific)

Threatened: FAO

Insufficient data: Cropwatch (2004)

Santalum yasi

Santalum yasi Seem.

Tonga, Fiji

Depleted, sites often inaccessible:

Cropwatch (2004)

Sassafras Oil Brazilian

Ocotea pretiosa (Nees) Mez.

Brazil

Vulnerable:

IUCN

Siam Wood Oil

Fokienia hodginsii (Dunn) A. Henry & H. Thomas

Africa

Lower risk/Near threatened: IUCN

Spikenard oil aka Jatamansi oil

Nardostachys grandiflora DC; some say aka

N. jatamansi DC

Nepal1, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh

Protected:

CITES (2000) Appendix II

Depleted: CIMAP (1997)

Plant extraction from wild banned in Uttar Pradesh.3 Oil export figures under reported to avoid tax7

Footnotes to table.

1An initiative for Nardostachys spp. cultivation between NGO & Nepalese farmers is in place but carries no environmental impact studies (Cropwatch: unpublished information)

2Rosoanaivo (1997) Med Plant Conservn 4(9) estimates 100 tons stem bark per year are destructively harvested.

3 Plant extraction from wild banned in Uttah Pradesh;

      http://www.cites.org/eng/cttee/PC/10/PC10-Inf2.pdf

4Holiday (1989) Australian Trees Hamlyn Australia.

5 Zhu L., Ding D. & Lawrence B.M. (1994) “The Cinnamomum species in China: Resources for the present and future” Perf & Flav. 19, July/Aug 1994, 17-22.

6 Approx 1000 tons/annum lichen processed for aroma & incense industry (Cropwatch: unpublished information).

7. Amatya G. & Sthapit VM (1994) “A note on Nardostachys jatamansi” J Herbs, Spices & Med Plants 2(2) 39-47.

 

 Species Sold into Aromatherapy & Perfumery which are Threatened from Animal Grazing (preventing flowering). Cessation of Trading (not recommended) would promote Hardship to Gatherers.

Frankincense oil, gum-oleoresin, resinoid etc.

Boswellia carteri Birdw.

[some say syn. B. sacra]

Somalia, Oman, Yemen
Low risk/Near threatened: (B. sacra) IUCN (1997)
Hardship information:
(Unep-WCMC)

 

 

Essential Oil-Bearing Species sold into Aromatherapy Threatened/Vulnerable in Specific Locations.

Name of commodity

Botanical Name

Geographic Origin

Status of plant

Artemisia vulgaris oil

Artemisia vulgaris L.

E. Europe.

Vulnerable

(Cropwatch 2004)

Thyme oil Spain

Thymus. zygis Loefl. ex L. subsp. gracilis Boiss R. Morales

Spain

Threatened; no monitoring by  authorities (Lange 1998)1

White sage oil

Salvia apiana Jepson

S. California USA

Threatened

(Cropwatch 2004)

Listed as “To Watch”

United Plant Savers

Footnote to table

1 Lange (1988) Europe’s Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: their use, trade and conservation. Traffic Europe 1998. 

 

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Notes.

 

1.       The lists are not exhaustive, and do not generally include low risk/near threatened species sold into aromatherapy such as Cupressus sempervirens (Cedarleaf oil) and Callitris columellaris (Australian Cypress pine oil).

2.     Species which are commonly used as incense ingredients are coloured blue-green.

3.     Agarwood qualities are placed in an enlarged section because these products are commonly sold into aromatherapy (as incense products) & fine fragrances (as essential oil). CO2 extracted plantation-grown artificially infected agarwood products etc. are available on the oils market, but have yet to gain widespread acceptance.

4.     Rosewood species have an expanded pink coloured section because other ‘rosewood oils’ - e.g. from Ocotea spp. - are sold into aromatherapy. Batches of plantation-grown rosewood leaf oil seen by the author (TB) have been of poor odour quality compared with the normal oil.

5.     Sandalwood species from different origins have an expanded section (in yellow) because there is confusion about their exact status in the minds of many aromatherapists. Pressure on Indian government officials to ignore sandalwood smuggling by gangland characters has even involved kidnap and threats of beheading (see http://chrissie-wildwood.com/TEMPTATION-IN-EDEN)

6.     Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP).   From: Indian Medicinal Plants Facing Genetic Erosion CIMAP (1997)  Lucknow  (Pub CIMAP 1997)

7.       TB (2003): see www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~nodice/new/magazine/products/products.htm

8.       IUCN list: see www.redlist.org

9.       The Ethical Consumer Association are now asking consumers to boycott oils and herbs from endangered, threatened and at-risk species (and products containing extracts from such sources). See http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/boycotts/boycottnews.htm

10.    Cropwatch (2003): see www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~nodice/

11.    Cropwatch (2004): unpublished information

12.    CITES: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).  Official documents: appendices I, II and III. http://www.cites.org/eng/append/latest_appendices.shtml

13.    See other information on threatened species in the aroma & herb trades on http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~nodice/ and http://chrissie-wildwood.com/

The information supplied in this bulletin is believed to be accurate, but views, comments, criticisms, corrections or additional material can be forwarded to info@cropwatch.org for consideration in future communiqués in the Cropwatch series.