Clausena sanki (Perr.) Molino

Evergreen shrub or small tree, 2-6(-15) m tall, bearing essential-oil glands on all aerial parts which emit a strong anise or anise-like smell when crushed. Leaves alternate, imparipinnately compound, 20-55(-100) cm long, glabrous to villose; petiolules 1-5 mm long; leaflets 7-13(-19), alternate to subopposite, ovate to lanceolate, 3-25 cm x 1-10 cm, the largest ones near the apex, base oblique, margin undulate-crenulate, apex acute-acuminate, densely dotted with pellucid glands. " Inflorescence a terminal (rarely axillary), conical panicle, 6-40 cm long; pedicel up to 2 mm long; flowers globose in bud, when opened 6-8 mm in diameter, regular, 5-merous, fragrant; calyx 5-lobed, 0.5-1 mm long, green; petals 5, free, ovate-elliptical, 4-5 mm long, membranaceous, whitish-green; stamens 10, free, filaments geniculate, white, anthers yellow; ovary globose to somewhat pentagonal, about 1 mm long and wide, 5-locular, born on gynophore 0.3-0.5 mm long, style 1 mm long, stigma slightly 5-lobed. " Fruit a globose (rarely ovoid) berry, 0.8-1.6 cm in diameter, whitish-green turning pinkish at maturity, 1(-3)-seeded. Seed green. C. anisum-olens (Blanco) Merrill is formally invalidated by Clausena sanki (Perr.) Molino (based on Illicium sanki Perr. (1824), a name that antedates the basionym Cookia anisum-olens Blanco of 1837). In order to avoid an unnecessary name change, it has been proposed that Illicium sanki Perr. be rejected, also because it is based on material of 2 different species. C. anisum-olens is subdivided into 3 botanical varieties: -var. anisum-olens: distributed as the species, except Borneo; whole plant subglabrous; leaves up to 50 cm long with 7-13(-15) leaflets; fruit globose, up to 1 cm in diameter; -var. calciphila (B.C. Stone) Molino: synonym: C. calciphila B.C. Stone; occurring in Borneo (Sarawak and Kalimantan); whole plant subglabrous; leaves up to 1 m long with 11-19 leaflets; fruit ovoid, 1.5-1.6 cm x 1-1.1 cm; -var. mollis (Merrill) Molino: synonym: C. mollis Merrill; occurring in the Philippines (Luzon, Mindanao); almost whole plant densely golden-yellow pilose; leaves with 11-15(-19) leaflets. All information about uses and essential oil content refer to var. anisum-olens only. Data on cultivation refer to only a single cultivar of this variety: 'Clausanis'. 'Clausanis' developed from plants collected in the Philippines in 1820 that were subsequently taken to RÚunion Island and Paris. From RÚunion a few plants were taken to the Botanical Garden in Bogor. There, through cultivation and successive self-pollination it developed its typical character: a very short and asymmetrical style, an unusual feature in Clausena Burm.f. 'Clausanis' has been cultivated and studied from 1905 onwards in Bogor as C. anisata. However, C. anisata (Willd.) Hook.f. ex Benth. (synonyms: C. dentata (Willd.) M. Roemer, C. dunniana A. LÚveillé) is a related, but completely different species occurring in tropical and southern Africa, southern India and from Bangladesh to southern China and Thailand. It has only axillary inflorescences. Its leaves yield an essential oil very rich in anethol and similar to the oil of C. anisum-olens.

C. anisum-olens grows naturally on various s (including limestone), and in Solok (west-central Sumatra) it grows well on poor, acid (pH 4.0-4.2) soils.

C. anisum-olens grows naturally in the understorey of rainforest, on various soil types (including limestone), up to 1500 m altitude. In cultivation in Indonesia it only performed well up to 500 m altitude. In Solok (west-central Sumatra) it grows well with 2000 mm annual rainfall with maxima in March and November and a minimum of about 75 mm per month from June to August, with maximum temperatures of about 30 deg. C and minima of about 20 deg. C throughout the year, and on poor, acid (pH 4.0-4.2) soils.

In the Philippines C anisum-olens is distributed all over the archipelago and is also cultivated occasionally. It is sporadically cultivated in gardens in China, Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia.

'Clausanis' produces very little seed and is propagated vegetatively. Grafting 'Clausanis' on a rootstock of C. excavata is the easiest and most efficient way of propagation. Better results were obtained when 'Clausanis' was grafted on Clausena excavata Burm.f.: in 2 years a height of 4.5 m was reached. C. excavata is widespread in most parts of South-East Asia; it flowers year-round, so seed is always available and seedlings can be grafted when they are 6-12 months old. Other rutaceous rootstocks (Citrus spp., xCitrofortunella spp.) have also been tested, but gave poorer results. Propagation by cuttings proved to be very difficult, as it requires constant high temperatures (above 23-25 deg. C) and adequate soil moisture. Budding onto C. excavata has given poor results. In vitro propagation of 'Clausanis' has also been tested in Bogor, with promising preliminary results.

Plantation: In Solok, densities of 10 000-15 000 plants/ha have given good results; earlier about 3000 plants/ha had been recommended in Java. Husbandry: In Solok, plants of 'Clausanis' grafted on C. excavata are pruned back to a height of about 1 m once or twice a year after harvest. If this pruning process starts early, it leads to the formation of a flat-topped, sometimes bushy shrub, from which leaves can be picked easily from above (as in tea plantations). Healthy plants of C. anisum-olens including those grafted on C. excavata tolerate pollarding fairly well. Weak plants, however, suffer severe setback from low pollarding, especially when cut back to less than 50 cm in height.

Food: In the Philippines leaves of C. anisum-olens are used as a condiment in preparing local dishes and beverages. Medicine: It is also well known in traditional medicine in the Philippines: the leaves are stuffed into pillows for a soporific effect, they are used in baths against rheumatism, or in decoction for nausea during pregnancy. Cough with fever is treated with a decoction of the roots and fruit. Essential oils: The essential oil from the leaves is a potential substitute of anise oil, e.g. for the preparation of the Philippine drink 'Anisado'. Other products: In the Philippines leaves of C. anisum-olens are used to flavour cigarettes.