Citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus) is a plant species in Poaceae, perennial, growing in clumps, up to 2 meters tall, has many fibrous roots, very well-known as a spice in Asian cuisine, herbal teas, citronella oil and pharmaceutical ingredients.
C. nardus has large fibrous roots, short rhizomes and radiates scent. Stems erect or tilted, clustered, bulbous, soft, hollow, green to purplish red and whitish hair. The contents of the stem are tubers and are yellowish white or purplish or reddish white.
Ribbon-shaped leaves, thin as paper, curved like grass with a length of up to 1 meter and a width of 1-2 cm, getting to the tip more pointed, green, a large linear bone in the middle, rough surface, hair, sharp margins and smell citrus if squeezed.
Flower stalks have a height of up to 2 meters, red covered with protective leaves and usually white. The protective leaves metamorphose into sterile and fertile glums. The fruit is grain shaped, red, elongated, flat ventral dorso and half the seed embryo.
This species grows wild in the tropics and requires a lot of sun at an altitude of 200-1200 m with an ideal 250-600 m, temperatures 23-30C, rainfall 1000-1500 mm/year with a dry season 4-6 months, distribution of rain 10 months and soil pH 6.0-7.5.
This plant is very popular as a spice in Asian cuisine, but can also be brewed into an herbal tea with a distinctive lemon aroma. Citronella oil has anti-mosquito, anti-fungal, antibacterial, larvicidal, anti-inflammatory, aromatic, antipyretic, fever and headache relief, antispasmodic and cleansing agents. Leaves are also a source of cellulose for making paper and cardboard.
The distinctive aroma of lemongrass is the property of citronellal which dominates the metabolome. Essential oil can also inhibit the growth of various Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens in humans including Acinetobacter baumanii, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Serratia marcescens and Staphylococcus aureus at concentrations of 1200 µg/ml up to 20000 µg/ml.
Citronellal (3,7-dimethyloct-6-en-1-al) is an active compound to repel mosquitoes. Other active compounds which are also responsible for this property are citronellol, α-pinene and limonene.
Citral can also be used as a precursor for the synthesis of B-ionine which is used in the synthesis of other aromatic compounds, vitamin A, vitamin E, carotenoids and other pharmaceutical products.
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 nardus (L.) Rendle in W.P.Hiern, Cat. Afr. Pl. 2: 155 (1899)
HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS
Andropogon nardus L. in Sp. Pl.: 1046 (1753)
Sorghum nardus (L.) Kuntze in Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 792 (1891)
HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS
Andropogon citrosus Steud. in Nomencl. Bot., ed. 2. 1: 90 (1840)
Andropogon confertiflorus Steud. in Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 385 (1854)
Andropogon grandis Nees ex Steud. (1854)
Andropogon hamulatus Nees ex Steud. (1854)
Andropogon nardus subsp. grandis (Nees ex Steud.) Hack. in A.L.P.P.de Candolle & A.C.P.de Candolle, Monogr. Phan. 6: 605 (1889)
Andropogon nardus var. luridus Hook.f. in Fl. Brit. India 7: 204 (1896)
Andropogon nardus subsp. nilagiricus Hack. (1889)
Andropogon nardus var. prolixus Stapf in W.H.Harvey & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Cap. 7: 352 (1898)
Andropogon nardus var. validus Stapf (1898)
Andropogon nardus var. zeyheri Hack. (1889)
Andropogon nilagiricus Hochst. in Exsicc. (Pl. Hohenack.) 1851: n.° 932 (1851)
Andropogon pseudohirtus Steud. in Flora 12: 471 (1829)
Andropogon thwaitesii Hook.f. in H.Trimen, Handb. Fl. Ceylon 5: 243 (1900)
Cymbopogon afronardus Stapf in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 9: 279 (1919)
Cymbopogon claessensii Robyns in Fl. Agrost. Congo Belge 1: 145 (1929)
Cymbopogon confertiflorus (Steud.) Stapf in Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1906: 318 (1906)
Cymbopogon nardus var. confertiflorus (Steud.) Bor in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 51: 905 (1953)
Cymbopogon nardus var. luridus (Hook.f.) N.Rama Rao in J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. 12: 378 (1988 publ. 1989)
Cymbopogon nardus subsp. nilgiricus Hack. (1889)
Cymbopogon prolixus (Stapf) E.Phillips in Intr. S. Afr. Grass. 6: 218 (1931)
Cymbopogon thwaitesii (Hook.f.) Willis in Revis. Cat. Pl. Ceylon: 110 (1911)
Cymbopogon validus (Stapf) Stapf in Ann. Transvaal Mus. 3: 121 (1912)
Cymbopogon validus var. lysocladus Stapf (1919)
Cymbopogon virgatus Stapf ex Bor in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 52: 168 (1954)
Lagurus paniculatus Burm.f. in Fl. Indica: 30 (1768)
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VERNACULAR NAME
Aceh: Sere mongthi
Afrikaans: Reuse terpentyngras, Reuseterpentyngras
Batak: Sangge-sangge
Betawi: Serai
Bugis: Sare
English: Citronella grass, Giant turpentine grass, Tambuti, Syrian nard, Giant lemongrass, Giant citronella
Filipino: Higanteng tanglad
Finnish: Jäkkisitrusheinä
Indonesian: Serai wangi, Serai gajah, Sereh wangi, Sereh
Japanese: コウスイガヤ
Java: Sere gajah
Lampung: Sarae gajah
Makassar: Sare gajah
Malaysia: Serai gajah, Rumput citronella
Melayu: Sere gajah
Minang: Serai gajah
Portuguese: Citronela
Russian: Померанцевая трава
Slovak: Vôňovec levanduľový
Spanish: Té limón
Sunda: Sereh gajah
Thai: ตะไคร้หอม
Vietnam: Cu sa, Sả khổng lồ
Zulu: Isichunga, Isiqunga, Isigunga
Aryo Bandoro
Dlium TheDlium
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dlium
I have citronella oil ,,2000kg
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