Агарове дерево

Aquilaria is a genus of trees, called lign aloes trees, in the family Thymelaeaceae. Aquilaria trees grow to 6-20 m (20-66 ft) tall. Aquilaria malaccensis is the major source of agarwood. Aquilaria crassna and Aquilaria sinensis are the other two species of the genus that are commonly harvested. Some Aquilaria species produce agarwood after being attacked by physical force, insects, or infection by bacteria or fungi.

The tree may be infected by a mould, and in response it produces a self-defence material to conceal damages or infections. In Aquilaria malaccensis, the resin is produced in response to infection by a parasitic mould, Phaeoacremonium parasitica, formerly Phialophora parasitica. The unaffected wood of the tree is relatively light in colour. The resin dramatically increases the mass and density of the affected wood, changing its colour from a pale beige to yellow, orange, red, dark brown or black.

The composition of agarwood oil is exceedingly complex, with more than 150 chemical compounds identified. At least 70 of these are terpenoids, which come in the form of sesquiterpenes and chromones, and no monoterpenes have been detected at all. Other common classes of compounds include agarofurans, cadinanes, eudesmanes, valencanes and eremophilanes, guaianes, prezizanes and vetispiranes. 2-(2-Phenylethyl)chromone derivatives and sesquiterpenes are the two predominant constituents of agarwood. The exact balance of these materials varies with the age and species of the tree and with the details of the oil extraction process. The aromatic qualities of agarwood vary with the species, the geographic location, the branch, trunk or root of origin, the time since infection, and the methods of harvesting and processing.

One of the main reasons for the relative rarity and high cost of agarwood is the depletion of wild sources. Aquilaria malaccensis has been listed in CITES Appendix II since 1995, and in 2004 all agarwood-producing Aquilaria and Gyrinops species were listed too. A number of countries have outstanding reservations about the 2004 listing of all Aquilaria species. Aquilaria malaccensis is on the brink of extinction in the wild and is now considered critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Agarwood plantations have been established in a number of countries such as India, Bangladesh and Bhutan, and reintroduced into Malaysia and Sri Lanka as commercial plantation crops.

Agarwood is used for incense, perfume, traditional medicine and other products in the world market. It has been used for centuries as incense in Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic ceremonies. Over 3,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians used agarwood incense in their funeral rites. It was described as a fragrant product as early as 1400 BCE in the Vedas of India.

Further reading. Agarwood: the $100,000/kg tree poached to extinction — a long-form investigation into the supply chain, CITES regulation, and plantation economics of oud. Explore the PREMIEREPEAU collection.

Explore all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.