Elemi

Endemic to the Philippines, is a large evergreen tree that can reach over 90 feet that can also have a trunk reaching over several feet in diameter. Elemi is the common name of the tree and also to the resin that is harvested from it for trade used for medicinal, fragrance, perfumery, food and industrial applications. Through there are other species which supply the elemi resin, Canarium luzonicum is the single largest source in the world. Classified as ‘Vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Elemi resin is both harvested from wild and cultivated trees. Elemi is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) in the USA as a flavor.

The Elemi tree also yields an edible nut that is eaten raw or roasted. When roasted they have a sweet flavor like almonds and are used in sweet goods, ice cream, nut milks and a substitute to chocolate. The young shoots are eaten raw like a vegetable, and fruit pulp is also consumed but it is not very tasty. Elemi has a long medicinal use, used for its antiseptic, fever reducing and antispasmodic qualities. It is also used topically and rubbed into aching joints, for skin conditions, and as a chest rub for coughs. (Source)