クス
- Camphor Laurel
- クスノキ科ニッケイ属
- 日本
古事記に登場する軍船の木
木肌は緻密で、耐湿・耐久性に優れる。大木になり非常に綺麗な杢目をしているため、仏像彫刻に多用されるほか、壮大な木目から寺社建築に好んで使われ、欄間や彫刻に使われる。また虫害や腐敗も強い。そのため古来から船の材料として重宝され、古事記にも楠船の神が登場する。さらに、防虫剤として薬効のある樟脳が採れるため、古くから葉は防虫剤、鎮痛剤として用いられ、作業の際に楠を携帯していたという記録もある。
The wood of the warship that appears in the Kojiki
The wood has a fine, close grain and is highly resistant to moisture and decay. The tree grows to a great size and has exceptionally beautiful figuring, so it is widely used for carving Buddhist statues. Its striking grain also makes it a popular choice for temple and shrine architecture, including transoms and carvings. It is resistant to insect damage and rot as well. For these reasons, it has long been prized as a shipbuilding material; the Kojiki even features a deity of camphorwood ships. In addition, camphor, a medicinal substance used as an insect repellent, can be extracted from the tree. Its leaves have long been used as insect repellents and painkillers, and historical records even mention people carrying pieces of camphorwood while working.