Liquidambar styraciflua or the American Sweetgum is a distinct tree native the the southeastern parts of the United States and found throughout Central America. Both the genus name Liquidambar and common name Sweetgum refer to the abundant resin exuded from the tree when wounded. The sap has been used by the native Nahua people as a fragrant incense and medicine. The seed capsules of the fruit contain just one or two fertile seeds and an abundance of aborted seeds. The aborted seeds contain a fairly large amount of shikimic acid, the precursor to the antiviral medicine Oseltamivir (Tamiflu). After a shortage of the main source, star anice seeds, using the infertile seeds from Liquidambar styraciflua was investigated for their sustainability and concentration of the precursor. This species makes a good example of why it is worth conserving as many species as possible: One can imagine that when a common species like this is only recently being investigated for its medicinal utility, there must be many others with potential and which might be under threat from human activity.
