BOMBAY GRASSES. 211 



perfume is manufactured from it, and the aromatic oil is sometimes 

 used as a cooling medicine. For further information regarding the 

 history and medicinal properties of this grass, reference should be 

 made to Dr. Dymock's " Vegetable Materia Mcdica of Western 

 India," p. 850. 



A. Itorirancusa, Blanc, Phil. Transact., vol. 80, Plate 16 ; Roxb., 

 FL Lid., vol. I. 276; Dak and Gibs., Bomb. FL, 301, Trin. Sp. 

 < nam., Plate 326. 



Vcr. Ibarankiisha^Iwarankusha, Kuranhusha (Hindust. and Bengali 

 names, Roxb.) Dalz< and Gibs state, "The whole plant is aromatic. 

 It is particularly mentioned by Arrian in his account of Alexander's 

 journey through the Punjab and Sindh, and was gathered by the 

 Phoenician followers of the army in Lus, who called it Spikenard, 

 It is common about Karachi, and is used as a scent by the 

 natives. It may be found in the Ahmedabad Zillah, but we think 

 there is some mistake as to its having been found in the moist 

 Concan as stated in Graham's Catalogue." 



Grows also on the plains at the foot of the Himalayas, Hurdwar, 

 Nepal, Nubia, Sennar, and Abyssinia. Mr. Hackel describes 3 

 varieties of this grass, and states that Andropogon proximus, Hochst., 

 one of the varieties in Schimp. PI. Abyss., cannot always be dis- 

 tinguished from A. taniger, Desf. 



A. diatom, Nees, Steud. Syn. PL Gram. I. 387, found in various 

 parts of India but rare. Received specimens from North Kanara, 

 and from the confines of Bombay near Madras, or rather from 

 Raichorc. 



Mr. Hackel describes numerous varieties of A. nardus, Linn. Sp., 

 A. distorts being one of these. 



A; citratm. This grass named Oil cha or lili cha (green tea) yields 

 k'tnon grass or oil of verbena of commerce. It is found only in the 

 cultivated state, and as it bears a close resemblance to A. nardus, 

 Linn., it is probably one of its varieties. Mr. Hackel, Andropogonece, 

 p. 608, says, " A. citratus D. (Cat. Hort. Monp. 78, sine discriptione 

 floriun, ant ad A. n.ardant out A. Scluenantkuut pertinet." 



A. Schcenanthi's, Linn., Sp. A. Martini, Roxb. FL Ind.I. 277. 

 A. packnodes, Trin. Mem. Ac. Petcrsb. >Sp. Gram. Plate 327, 



