Citronella grass
Family Gramineae (or Poaceae)
Cymbopogon sp., e.g. citronella and lemon grass (Cy. sp 1), are Old World species of tropical and subtropical regions. They are perennial, densely tufted, coarse grasses, occurring in dry places and grasslands. The inflorescence consists of short racemes, which occur in pairs.
Use
Several species of Cymbopogon yield essential oils, which are important components of perfumes. These oils are also used for scenting soaps and in technical preparations.
The most important species are:
Cymbopogon nardus, citronella grass, a robust perennial grass, 50-100 cm tall, grown for citronella oil that is extracted from the leaves. The essential oil contains citronellal, geraniol and citranellol, used in soap, talcum powder, perfumes and sprays; and Cymbopogon citratus, lemon grass (Cy. sp 2), which provides lemon grass oil containing citral. The oil is used for the production of synthetic menthol, for scenting soaps, detergents, sprays, and polishes and in technical preparations. In the Indonesian cuisine young leaves, known as sereh, are used for flavouring food and drinks.
Both citronella oil and lemongrass oil are mainly produced in Central America and the Far East. To a lesser extend it is produced in places as different as Brazil, Sri Lanka, East Africa, the Seychelles and the West Indies.
Of lesser importance are Cymbopogon flexuosus, Malabar grass (Cy. sp 3), which grows wild in India and contains an oil consisting mainly of citral, which is used in perfumery; and Cymbopogon martini, rosha grass, (Cy. sp 4) also growing wild in India. By distillation palmarosa oil is obtained, which is used as a perfume, in cosmetics and for flavouring tabacco.