5Gi ■ GR AMINES.. 



In medieval Europe it was officinal under the names of 

 Schcenantlius, Squinanthus, and Juncus odoratus, and was also 

 know^n as Foenura vel stramen camelorum " earners hay or 

 straw/ ^ from its heing the principle food of camels in the 

 deserts between Syria and Egypt. In Arabia, under the name 

 of ghnsid, the powdered grass is still used as a perfume for 



the bath. 



Description. — This grass is distinguislied by its simple 



anifirerous 



The odour is like that of oil of Ehodium ; the taste aromatic, 

 bitter, and somewhat acrid. 



Chemical composition.— From 56 lbs. of the dry grass 

 purchased in the bazar wo obtained the large yield of 8| ozs. 

 of essential oil ; it had a specific gravity of '905 at 85° F., and 

 rotated a ray of polarized ligbt 8-0 degrees to tbe left in 

 column 200 mm. long. The colour was that of pale sherry. 

 According to Schinimel & Co., the essential oil reminds one of 

 the ojlour^of Elemi oil. Its sp. gr. is -915, the optical rotation 

 + 34° 88'. It boils between M(P and 250°, and contains 

 phellandrene [Bericht von Schimmel Sf Co., April, 1892). 



ANDROPOGON CITRATUS, DC. 



^ Fig.— iTall. PI. As. Ear. m., t. 280 ; Rlieede, Hort. Mai 

 xii., t. 72. Lemon grass {En<j.), 



H a b.— Eastern Archipelago? Cultivated throughout 

 India. The herb and oil. 



Chiend 



Vernacular. 



bena 



(Beuy.), Hirva-chaha, Olen-chaha {Mar.), Lili-chahe, Nili- 

 chahe [Giiz.), Vashana-puUa (Tani.), Nimma-gaddi, Chippa- 



gaddi 

 huUu 



{Mai.), Purvali 



History, Uses, &c.— This 



— .-.,*v.v*^c uj any ui tj 



upon Indian medicinal plants. 



mentioned 



Hindu or Mahometan 



Eheede 



**«* j^x«,^xt»3. x\j was ooservea oy van xvut-rut^ 



early m the 17th century as an established and well-known 

 cultivated plant, and it is not improbable that Hindu colonists 



