590 Agricultur, Horticultur, Forstbotanik. 



1. Cymbopogon Schoenanthns Spreng {Andy&pogon Schoenaiithus 

 Linny., not of most authors.) 



The history of the naming of this grass is traced in detail. It 

 was the Herba Schoenanthi of the early herbalists, and has been 

 found in Egyptian tombs dating from about 1,200 to 1000 B.C; in 

 India and Persia it was also known in very early times. The species 

 appears to be of very little economic value now. Dr. Stapf concludes 

 "This is then all that is left of the once much prized drug: a few 

 dusty bundles of hay in oriental bazaars, a few ounces of oil, and 

 the ancient name under cover of which other grasses have found 

 their way into pharmacopeias and the chemical industry of our day. 

 There seems to be, however, no reason why the old article should 

 not to some extent recover its lost prestige". 



2. Cymbopogon Iwaranciisa Schult {Andropogon Iwarancusa }onQS) . 

 This is very closely related to the preceding and "it is not 



impossible that the distinguishing characters the robust State, 



the long, flat and relatively broad leaves, and the more composite 

 panicles, are mainly due to edaphic influences". 



3. Cymbopogon Nardus Rendle, {Andropogon Nardiis Linn). 

 The Citronella grass of Ceylon, the Straits Settlements, 



Java etc. It became confused with ginger grass (C. flexuosus) and 

 lemon grass (C. citratiis). The latter was offen called '■Andropogon 

 Schoenanthus and so also citronella grass. The French call lemon 

 grass, citronelle, and this term found its way into English literature 

 as a synonym of "lemon grass" in the wider sense and later on of 

 "Ceylon lemon grass" in particular i. e. C. Nardus. An account is 

 given of the extent of its cultivation. In Ceylon two varieties are 

 distinguished "Maha Pengiri" (the great Pengiri) also known as old 

 Citronella or Winter 's grass because almost exclusively grown by 

 Winter and Son, and "Lenabatu" or "Lena Batu Pengiri" the new 

 Citronella grass. The former yields the better oil, but it has to be 

 replanted more frequently so that it has been more and more replaced 

 by the Lenabatu varietJ^ 



4. Cymbopogon confertißorus Stapf. [Andropogon confertiflorus 

 Steud). 



This is the "Mana" grass of Ceylon, the "Bambe" of het 

 Nilgiris, a coarse grass closely allied to Cymbopogon Nardus. It is 

 reported to yield a good oil, but only in small quantities and there 

 is no evidence that it is used commercially. 



5. Cymbopogon flexuosus Stapf. {Andropogon flexuosus Nees ex. 

 Steud). _ 



This grass appears to be The source of "Malabar grass oil", a 

 name used by Mr. Barber and recommended in preference to 

 „Travancore lemon-grass oil" to aid in preventing confusion with 

 C. citratus. It was regarded by Hacke 1 as a variety of Andropogon 

 Nardus but was not by him or subsequent authors connected with 

 the lemon grass oil of Travancore. 



6. Cymbopogon coloratus Stapf. {Andropogon coloratus Nees, ms). 

 A highly aromatic grass, but not definitely known to be made 



use of as a source of oil, although it may be one of the "lemon- 

 grasses" of the Malabar district. 



7. Cymbopogon citratus Stapf. {Andropogon citratus DC.) Lemon 

 grass; Malay name „Sereh." 



The plant is widely distributed throughout the tropics, but 

 known only in cultivation. It rarely flowers and there has been 

 much confusion as to its name. The author cites the following 



