Phoebe zhennan

Phoebe zhennan is a large species of tree, up to 30 metres tall, in the genus Phoebe of the family Lauraceae. It is endemic to China, where it occurs in Guizhou, Hubei, and Sichuan provinces. The species is threatened by habitat loss and is under second-class national protection in China. Its IUCN conservation status is Vulnerable. Many Lauraceae contain high concentrations of essential oils, some of which are valued for spices and perfumes.

Nanmu wood comes from several species of tree, including Phoebe zhennan. Trees of the genus Phoebe produce the highest grades of nanmu wood. In the past, wood from this tree, referred to as nanmu in China, was so valuable that only royal families could afford its use. The highest grade of nanmu wood has a bright golden color and shows chatoyancy, an optical effect. In China this grade is often called jinsi, meaning golden-thread or golden silk. Nanmu was used in architectural woodworking and boatbuilding because it resists decay. The tree has a golden thread pattern, a rich fragrance and high durability, and its wood has become popular for furniture and various high-class furnishing materials. The wood dries with little splitting or warping and, once dry, is of medium density. The wood is particularly valuable when it has become semi-fossilized, and is then called Wu Mu, or Black Wood. On the 2012 market the price could be as high as over $10,000 per cubic meter. The price of nanmu wood in China is greater than $700 per cubic meter, and it can reach $1400 per cubic meter if the diameter of the tree at breast height exceeds 30 cm.

The main components of the wood fragrance are sesquiterpenoids. The main volatile compounds of the wood are sesquiterpenoids (70.22%-88.45%). The main fragrance-related metabolites of the heartwood are cadinene, p-cymene and 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene, which are a sesquiterpenoid, a monoterpenoid and an aromatic hydrocarbon respectively. In the volatiles of wood from 10- and 30-year-old trees the major compound was agarospirol, and in 80-year-old wood the major ones were agarospirol and eudesmol. The types and relative contents of sesquiterpenoids in the wood increase with tree age. Sesquiterpenoids such as cubebene, guaiol, eudesmol and cadinene dominate the essential oil from the wood. Older wood is more suitable for making high-grade wooden furniture because of its remarkable and pleasant fragrance.

Related: Almond Tree · Ambrox Super · Amburana Wood · Amyris · Blonde Woods · Caoutchouc · Cashalox · Cashmir Wood