Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus)

Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a plant species in Poaceae, a shrub that has large fibrous roots and short rhizomes, pseudo stems that are soft and break easily even though they are stiff, hollow, rooted, clustered and often used as spices and essential oils.

C. citratus has a pseudo stem, 60-200 cm tall, yellowish white as a tuber midrib, has short hair and grows straight above the ground. The stem produces shoots where the root fibers have stolons that spread horizontally below the surface of the soil.



Stems frond and dull greenish white. Single leaf ribbon-shaped, not stemmed, length 50-100 cm, width 2 cm, bright green, pointed tip, bone in the middle of the linear and the rough surface of the upper and lower surface smooth hair.

Squeezed leaves emit a fragrant aroma that is almost like the scent of orange. Flowers contain ears and have no crown. The stems are used as spices to scent food and are processed into essential oils to repel mosquitoes and other insects.

Citronellal, citronellol and geraniol determine the intensity of fragrant aromas, the value and price of oil. The phytochemical content of lemongrass is tannins, flavonoids, phenols and carbohydrates. The active component has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial, deodorant, expectorant, insecticide and sedative abilities.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Panicoideae
Tribe: Andropogoneae
Subtribe: Anthistiriinae
Genus: Cymbopogon Spreng. in Pl. Min. Cogn. Pug. 2: 14 (1815)
Species: Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf in Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1906: 322 (1906)

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Andropogon citratus DC. in Cat. Pl. Horti Monsp.: 78 (1813)
Cymbopogon nardus subvar. citratus (DC.) Roberty in Boissiera 9: 174 (1960)

HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS

Andropogon cerifer Hack. in C.F.P.von Martius & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Bras. 2(3): 281 (1883)
Andropogon citriodorus Desf. in Tabl. École Bot., ed. 2: 15 (1815)
Andropogon nardus subsp. cerifer (Hack.) Hack. in A.L.P.P.de Candolle & A.C.P.de Candolle, Monogr. Phan. 6: 605 (1889)
Andropogon roxburghii Nees ex Wight & Arn. in R.Wight, Cat. Ind. Pl.: 100 (1834)

PUBLICATIONS

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.

Aedo, C., Tellería, M.T. & Velayos, M. (eds.) (1999). Bases Documentales para la Flora de Guinea Ecuatorial; Plantas vascularis y hongos: 1-414. CSIC, real jardín Botánico, Madrid.

Ahmed, Z.U. (ed.) (2008). Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh 12: 1-505. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.

Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.

Baksh-Comeau, Y., Maharaj, S.S., Adams, C.D., Harris, S.A., Filer, D.L. & Hawthorne, W.D. (2016). An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Trinidad and Tobago with analysis of vegetation types and botanical 'hotspots'. Phytotaxa 250: 1-431.

Boggan, J. Funck, V. & Kelloff, C. (1997). Checklist of the Plants of the Guianas (Guyana, Surinam, Franch Guiana) ed. 2: 1-238. University of Guyana, Georgetown.

Bosser, J. & Renvoize, S.A. (2018). Flore des Mascareignes 203: 1-276. IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.

Bosser, J. (1969). Gramiées des pasturages et des cultures a Madagascar: 1-440. ORSTOM, Paris.

Boulos, L. (2005). Flora of Egypt 4: 1-617. Al Hadara Publishing, Cairo.

Boulvert, Y. (1977). Catalogue de la Flore de Centrafrique 2(2): 1-94. ORSTOM, Bangui.

Brako, L. & Zarucchi, J.L. (1993). Catalogue of the Flowering Plants and Gymnosperms of Peru. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 45: i-xl, 1-1286. Missouri Botanical Garden.

Catarino, L., Sampaio Martins, E., Pinto-Basto, M.F. & Diniz, M.A. (2006). Plantas Vasculares e Briófitos da Guiné-Bissau: 1-298. Instituto de investigação científica tropical, Instituto Português de apoio ao desenvolvimento.

Clayton, W.D. & Snow, N. (2010). A key to Pacific Grasses: 1-107. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T. & Williamson, H. (2006). World Grass Species - Synonymy database The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Dassanayake (ed.) (1994). A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon 8: 1-458. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. PVT. LTD., New Delhi, Calcutta.

Davidse, G. & al. (eds.) (1994). Flora Mesoamericana 6: 1-543. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

Dobignard, D. & Chatelain, C. (2010). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 1: 1-455. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.

Dy Phon, P. (2000). Dictionnaire des plantes utilisées au Cambodge: 1-915. Chez l'auteur, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Dávila, P., Mejia-Saulés, M.T., Gómez-Sánchez, N., Valdés-Reyna, J., Ortíz, J.J., Morín, C., Castrejón, J. & Ocampo, A. (2006). Catálogo de las Gramíneas de México: 1-671. CONABIO, México city.

Exell, A.W. (1973). Angiosperms of the islands of the gulf of Guinea (Fernando Po, Príncipe, S.Tomé, and Annobon). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Botany 4: 325-411.

Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2003). Flora of North America North of Mexico 25: 1-781. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.

Fosberg, F.R. & Renvoize, S.A. (1980). The Flora of Aldabra and neighbouring islands: 1-358. Crown, London.

Gilliland, H.B. (1971). A revised flora of Malaya 3: 1-319. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Singapore.

Giraldo-Cañas, D. (2011). Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en Colombia. Darwiniana 49: 139-247.

Girmansyah, D. & al. (eds.) (2013). Flora of Bali an annotated checklist: 1-158. Herbarium Bogorensis, Indonesia.

Gosline, G., Bidault, E., van der Burgt, X., Cahen, D., Challen, G., Condé, N., Couch, C., Couvreur, T.L.P., Dagallier, L.M.J., Darbyshire, I., Dawson, S., Doré, T.S., Goyder, D., Grall, A., Haba, P., Haba, P., Harris, D., Hind, D.J.N., Jongkind, & al. (2023). A Taxonomically-verified and Vouchered Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Republic of Guinea. Nature, scientific data 10, Article number: 327: [1]-[12].

Henty, E.E. (1969). A manual of the grasses of New Guinea: 1-215. Division of Botany, Dpt. of Forests, LAE, New Guinea.

Hepper, F.N. (ed.) (1972). Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 3(2): 277-574.

Iwatsuki, K., Boufford, D.E. & Ohba, H. (eds.) (2020). Flora of Japan IVa: 1-430. Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo.

Jones, M. (1991). A checklist of Gambian plants: 1-33. Michael Jones, The Gambia College.

Jørgensen, P.M. & León-Yánez, S. (eds.) (1999). Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 75: i-viii, 1-1181. Missouri Botanical Garden.

Karthikeyan, S., Jain, S.K., Nayar, M.P. & Sanjappa, M. (1989). Florae Indicae Enumeratio: Monocotyledonae: 1-435. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta.

Kobayashi, S. & Ono, M. (1987). A Revised List of Vascular Plants Indigenous and Introduced to the Bonin (Ogasawara) and the Volcano (Kazan) Islands. Ogasawara Research 13: 1-55.

Kotiya, A., Solanki, Y. & Reddy, G.V. (2020). Flora of Rajasthan: 1-769. Rajasthan state biodiversity board.

Kress, W.J., DeFilipps, R.A., Farr, E. & Kyi, D.Y.Y. (2003). A Checklist of the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs and Climbers of Myanmar. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 45: 1-590.

Lebrun, J.P. (1973). Énumération des plantes vasculaires du Sénégal: 1-209. Maisons Alfort: Institut d'élevage et de médecine vétérinaire des pays tropicaux.

Lisowski, S. (2009). Flore (Angiospermes) de la République de Guinée. Scripta Botanica Belgica 41: 1-517.

Menjívar Cruz, J.E., R.M. Baldini, G. Davidse & P.M. Peterson (2021). El Salvador grasses: An updated catalogue and nomenclator. Phytoneuron 2021-22: 1-131.

Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Newman, M., Ketphanh, S., Svengsuksa, B., Thomas, P., Sengdala, K., Lamxay, V. & Armstrong, K. (2007). A checklist of the vascular plants of Lao PDR: 1-394. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.

Nurtjahya, E. & al. (2026). Flowering Plants of Bangka Island: Native and Introduced. Acta Botanica Hungarica 68: 127-156.

Onana, J.M. (2011). The vascular plants of Cameroon a taxonomic checklist with IUCN assessments: 1-195. National herbarium of Cameroon, Yaoundé.

Plunkett, G.M., Ranker, T.A., Sam, C. & Balick, M.J. (2022). Towards a checklist of the vascular flora of Vanuatu. Candollea 77: 105-118.

Prasanna, P.V. & al. (eds.) (2024). Flora of India 32: 1-694. Botanical Survey of India.

Renvoize, S.A. (1998). Gramineas de Bolivia: 1-644. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Robertson, S.A. (1989). Flowering Plants of Seychelles: 1-327. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Rúgolo, Z.E. & al. (2023). Flora del Paraguay 51: 1-202. Editions des Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la ville de Genève.

Troupin, G. (ed.) (1988). Flora du Rwanda 4: I-X, 1-651. Musee Royal de l'Afrique Centrale.

Vigosa-Mercado, J.L. & Fonseca, R.M. (2017). Flora de Guerrero 75: 1-153. Facultade de Ciencias, UNAM.

Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2006). Poaceae. Flora of China 22: 1-733. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.

Zuloaga, F.O., Morrone, O. , Belgrano, M.J., Marticorena, C. & Marchesi, E. (eds.) (2008). Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares del Cono Sur. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 107: 1-3348. Missouri Botanical Garden.

VERNACULAR NAME

Batak: Sangge-sangge
Bengali: গন্ধবেনা Gandhabena
Burmese: ဆာဘာလင် Sabalin
Chinese (simplified): 香茅草 - 柠檬草
Chinese (traditional): 香茅 - 檸檬草
Danish: Citrongræs
English: Lemon grass, Lemongrass, West Indian lemon grass, Oil grass
Filipino: Salai, Tanglad, Balioko
Finnish: Intiansitrusheinä
French: Citronnelle. Herbe-citron, Verveine des Indes
German: Zitronengras
Gujarati: Lilicha
Hebrew: לימון גראס
Hindi: गंधतृण Gandhatrina
Hong Kong: 香茅 - 檸檬草
Indonesian: Serai dapur, Serai sayur, Serai, Sereh, serai wangi
Italian: Citronella
Japanese: レモンガヤ
Java: Sere
Kalimantan: Salai
Kannada: Majjigehullu
Khmer: ស្លេក គ្រី សាប៊ូ Slek krey sabou
Konkani: Oli-cha
Lao: ສີຂາຍ 'si khai
Macao: 香茅 - 檸檬草
Malayalam: Chayapullu, Chenganampullu, Chonakapullu, Inchipullu, Kothipullu, Padarpullu, Sambarapullu, Thannakkapullu, Theruvapullu, Thyilapullu, Vasanappullu, Vasana Pullu
Malaysia: Sereh, Serai, Serai dapur
Maluku: Isa, Bubu
Manipuri: Haona
Marathi: Gavatichaha, Gavti Chaha, Olecha
Nusa Tenggara: Bu muke
Polish: Palczatka cytrynowa, Trawa cytrynowa
Portuguese: Erva-príncipe, Capim-limão, Capim-santo
Russian: Челнобородник лимоный
Sanskrit: Bhustrina
Slovak: Vôňovec citrónový
Spanish: Limonaria, Pasto limón, Hierba luisa, Citronela, Limoncillo
Sunda: Sereh
Tagalog: Tanglad
Tamil: கற்பூரப்புல் Karppurappul
Tangkhul: Keyarphei
Telugu: Nimmagaddi
Thai: ตะไคร้
Vietnam: Sá chanh

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