ABOUT LITSEA CUBEBA
LitSara, a brand that has its roots in indigenous communities' traditional knowledge and uses. The essentials oils used to develop the products for this brand are derived from Sarawak’s indigenous plant– The Litsea plant (Litsea cubeba).
The Litsea plant (Litsea cubeba) is a member of the Lauraceae family that thrives in the wild. It produces a strong, crisp scent with citrus-lemony notes (D-limonene and citronellal). This plant is more commonly known as pahkak among the Bidayuh community, while the Kelabit and Lun Bawang people call it tenem.
Traditionally, different parts of the plant are used by the indigenous people of Sarawak for different purposes, such as flavouring for food or natural remedy for stomachache and backache.
The Litsea plant (Litsea cubeba) is a member of the Lauraceae family that thrives in the wild. It produces a strong, crisp scent with citrus-lemony notes (D-limonene and citronellal). This plant is more commonly known as pahkak among the Bidayuh community, while the Kelabit and Lun Bawang people call it tenem.
Traditionally, different parts of the plant are used by the indigenous people of Sarawak for different purposes, such as flavouring for food or natural remedy for stomachache and backache.
Fruits
The fruit is berry-like and grows between 5 - 6 mm in diameter. It is green when young, and turns to maroon or blackish when mature. The fruits produce a lemony scent and taste minty.
Flowers
The flowers are yellowish-white in colour with a diameter between 3 - 4 mm.
Leaves
The leaves with short petioles are arranged in simple and alternate 8 - 12 pairs. They are semi-transparent and paper-like, brownish green when young while mature leaves are green on top and opaque on the underside.
Trunks
Round shape from 6 - 20 cm in diameter. The bark is tough and smooth 1 mm thick with the outer layer green and the inner part yellow.
Thank you for choosing LitSara®, a product that has its roots in indigenous communities' traditional knowledge and uses. An equitable portion of the proceeds from your purchase will be shared with the indigenous communities of Sarawak who have contributed to the development of LitSara® and towards their ongoing efforts to document and develop traditional knowledge, and conserve biodiversity that has served mankind of uses over time.