Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods. Sandalwood is often cited as one of the most expensive woods in the world. Both the wood and the oil produce a distinctive fragrance that has been highly valued for centuries. Consequently, some species of these slow-growing trees have suffered over-harvesting in the past.
Pursat is a province of Cambodia. It is in the western part of the country and borders clockwise from the north: Battambang province, the Tonlé Sap, Kampong Chhnang province, Kampong Speu province, Koh Kong province, and East Thailand. It lies between the Tonle Sap and the northern end of the Cardamom Mountains. The Pursat River bisects the province, running from the Cardamoms in the west to the Tonle Sap in the east.
Agarwood, aloeswood, eaglewood, gharuwood or the Wood of Gods, most commonly referred to as oud or oudh, is a fragrant, dark and resinous wood used in incense, perfume, and small hand carvings. It forms in the heartwood of Aquilaria trees after they become infected with a type of Phaeoacremonium mold, P. parasitica. The tree defensively secretes a resin to combat the fungal infestation. Prior to becoming infected, the heartwood mostly lacks scent, and is relatively light and pale in colouration. However, as the infection advances and the tree produces its fragrant resin as a final option of defense, the heartwood becomes very dense, dark, and saturated with resin. This product is harvested, and most famously referred to in cosmetics under the scent names of oud, oodh or aguru; however, it is also called aloes, agar, as well as gaharu or jinko. With thousands of years of known use, and valued across Muslim, Christian, and Hindu communities, oud is prized in Middle Eastern and South Asian cultures for its distinctive fragrance, utilized in colognes, incense and perfumes.
Aquilaria is a genus of trees, called lign aloes or lign-aloes trees, in the family Thymelaeaceae. It includes 21 species native to southeast Asia. They occur particularly in the rainforests of Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, southern China, Malaysia, Northeast India, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Borneo and New Guinea. The trees grow to 6–20 m (20–66 ft) tall. The leaves are alternate, 5–11 cm (2.0–4.3 in) long and 2–4 cm (0.79–1.6 in) broad, with a short acuminate apex and an entire margin. The flowers are yellowish-green, produced in an umbel; the fruit is a woody capsule 2.5–3 cm (0.98–1.2 in) long.
The wildlife of Cambodia is very diverse with at least 162 mammal species, 600 bird species, 176 reptile species, 900 freshwater fish species, 670 invertebrate species, and more than 3000 plant species. A single protected area, Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, is known to support more than 950 total species, including 75 species that are listed as globally threatened on the IUCN Red List. An unknown amount of species remains to be described by science, especially the insect group of butterflies and moths, collectively known as lepidopterans.
Bolitoglossa rostrata is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is found in Guatemala and Mexico. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Aquilaria banaensae is a species of plant in the Thymelaeaceae family. It is endemic to Vietnam.
Aquilaria beccariana is a species of plant in the Thymelaeaceae family. It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Aquilaria crassna is a species of plant in the Thymelaeaceae family. It is critically endangered and native to Southeast Asia.
Aquilaria cumingiana is a species of plant in the Thymelaeaceae family. It is found in Indonesia and the Philippines.
Aquilaria hirta is a species of plant in the Thymelaeaceae family. It is found in Malaysia and Indonesia. Aquilaria hirta are suited for carving and hard like stone, but the species of Aquilaria hirta are seldom used in perfume and incense due to rarity.
Aquilaria malaccensis is a species of plant in the family Thymelaeaceae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, also Thailand. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Aquilaria microcarpa is a species of plant in the Thymelaeaceae family. It is found in Indonesia and Singapore.
Aquilaria sinensis, known as incense tree, is a species of plant in the family Thymelaeaceae. It is endemic to China. It is threatened by habitat loss. This medicinal plant is a source of fragrant wood, formed under a pathological condition, called agarwood.
Namibiana rostrata, also known as Bocage's blind snake or Angolan beaked threadsnake, is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. It is endemic to Angola.
Gyrinops is a genus of nine species of trees, called lign aloes or lign-aloes trees, in the family Thymelaeaceae. They are native to Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, and New Guinea.
The Gaharu Tea Valley is an agro-tourism tea plantation in Gopeng, Kampar District, Perak, Malaysia.
Treedom Oud is a manufacturer of agarwood oil, also known as oud oil or dehn al oud in Arabic. Headquartered in Bangkok, with the distillation facility in Trat Province in eastern Thailand, the company was formed in 2006.
Aquilaria filaria, the palisan, is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae. It is native to the eastern Philippines, the Maluku Islands, and Western New Guinea. A tree reaching 17 m (56 ft), it is a source of agarwood.
