Camphor is a
waxy,
flammable,
white or
transparent solid with a strong
aromatic odor. It is a
terpenoid with the
chemical formula C10H16O. It is found in the wood of the
camphor laurel (
Cinnamomum camphora), a large
evergreen tree found in Asia (particularly in
Sumatra,
Indonesia and
Borneo) and also of the unrelated
kapur tree, a tall timber tree from the same region. It also occurs in some other related trees in the laurel family, notably
Ocotea usambarensis. Dried
rosemary leaves (
Rosmarinus officinalis), in the mint family, contain up to 20 amphor. Camphor can also be synthetically produced from oil of
turpentine. It is used for its scent, as an ingredient in cooking (mainly in
India), as an
embalming fluid, for medicinal purposes, and in religious ceremonies. A major source of camphor in Asia is camphor basil (the parent of
African blue basil).