| Petroleum nut | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Pittosporaceae |
| Genus: | Pittosporum |
| Species: | P. resiniferum |
| Binomial name | |
| Pittosporum resiniferum | |
| Synonyms [2] [3] | |
| |
Pittosporum resiniferum, the resin cheesewood [4] or petroleum nut, is a tree that grows in the Philippines and Malaysia, particularly in the wilderness surrounding the Mayon Volcano and in the Cordillera of the Philippines and Mount Kinabalu of Sabah, Malaysia. [1] The petroleum nut derives its name from the resemblance of the fruit's odor to petroleum-based fuels. The fruits of the tree burn brightly when ignited, and can be used for illumination as torches or candles. [5] Its fruit is also highly suitable for use in producing biofuel. This use has been encouraged by the Philippines Department of Agrarian Reform and the Philippine Coconut Authority. [6]
In the Philippine Cordilleras petroleum nut is locally known as apisang, abkel, abkol and da-il, is found among other trees like oak and other mossy forest species. It can also grow well with pine trees. [7]
The oil obtained from the fruit contains a dihydroterpene(C10H18) [8] and also considerable quantities of normal heptane, which had only twice before been found in nature, occurring in the Grey Pine ( Pinus sabiniana ) and the related Jeffrey Pine (Pinus jeffreyi) of California The oil can be distilled into a very pure form of n-Heptane. [9]
