Lindera triloba

Lindera triloba is a plant species belonging to the genus Lindera. It is endemic to Japan, and is called Shiro-moji in Japanese.

Lindera triloba
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Embryophytes
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Spermatophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Magnoliids
Order:	Laurales
Family:	Lauraceae
Genus:	Lindera
Species:	L. triloba
Binomial name
Lindera triloba (Sieb. & Zucc.) Blume (1851)
Synonyms
Benzoin trilobum Siebold & Zucc. (1846) Benzoin trilobum var. pilosum Koidz. (1935) Lindera officinalis Nakai (1911) Parabenzoin trilobum (Siebold & Zucc.) Nakai (1924 publ. 1925) Parabenzoin trilobum var. pilosum (Koidz.) Honda (1939) Parabenzoin trilobum f. pilosum (Koidz.) Sugim. (1961) Sassafras officinale Siebold (1830), nom. nud.

Use

In Japan, the strong branch was used for walking sticks. The seed oil obtained by squeezing ripe fruit was used as fuel for lanterns. The leaves have a unique odor, and the essential oil can be extracted by hydrodistillation. The seedlings for gardening and garden trees are sold to enjoy the autumn leaves.

• 
  flower
• 
  young leaves
• 
  fruit
• 
  bark
• 
  autumn leaves

Biochemistry

Sesquiterpenes such as delobanone and acetoxydelobanone have been isolated from Lindera triloba.

The sesquiterpenes (α-Cadinol, δ-Cadinene etc.) were also found in the essential oils.