A natural oleoresin in the subgroup of turpentines. It consists almost entirely of resin and essential oil. Elemi is an exudation of a pathological product from the tree, Canarium Commune and other species of Canarium which grow wild and, to a lesser degree, cultivated in the Philippine islands. The tree belongs to the same family as do those which yield myrrh, olibanum, opopanax and Indian linaloe. Crude Elemi is a semi solid, pale yellow, waxy honey like mass, usually containing numerous woodsplinters, bark pieces, insect debris, dirt and earth. Elemi is graded on the bulking place and it is possible to get lots which are quite clean, dirt free and almost water free. The odor is very fresh, terpene, peppery lemony, with a woody balsamic background note. The odor bears some similarity to that of dill weed oil.
|
