CANELLA, a genus of plants belonging to the family Canellacee. They are ornamental shrubs or trees. C. alba, the wild cinnamon, is a common West Indian aromatic evergreen tree, growing to a height of from 10 to 50 feet, with a straight stem branched only at the top. It is covered with a whitish bark, by which it is easily distinguished at a distance from other trees; the leaves are placed upon short leaf stalks and are alternate. They are oblong, obtuse, entire, of a dark, shining green hue, and thick like those of the laurel. The flowers are small, of a violet color, and grow in clusters at the tops of the branches on branched stalks. The fruit is an oblong berry containing four kidney-shaped seeds of equal size. The tree is very aromatic, and when in blossom perfumes the whole neighborhood. The berries, when ripe, are greedily eaten by the wild pigeons of Jamaica, and impart a peculiar flavor to their flesh. The canella of commerce is the bark of the tree freed from its outward covering and dried in the shade. It is brought to Europe in
long quills, which are about three-fourths of an inch in diameter, somewhat thicker than cinna mon, and both externally and internally of a whitish or light-brown hue, with a tinge of yellow. This bark is moderately warm to the taste, and aromatic and bitterish. Its smell is agreeable, and resembles that of cloves. In distillation with water it yields an essential oil of a dark-yellowish color, and of a thick tenacious consistence, with difficulty separable from the aqueous fluid. The remaining decoc tion, when evaporated, leaves a very bitter ex tract composed of resinous and gummy matter imperfectly mixed. It has been supposed to possess a considerable share of active medicinal powers, and was formerly employed as a cure in scurvy. Now it is merely esteemed as a pleas ing and aromatic bitter, and as a useful adjunct in correcting more active though nauseous medicines. The powder is given along with aloes as a stimulating purgative.