GRAMINEJEJ, 569 



+ 



pale. Lodlcnles 2, oblong, truncate, longer than the ovary. 

 Stamens 3, anthers purple. Stigmas 2, spreading, protruded 

 from the flower, plumose, bright red -purple. Fruit not united 

 with the pales. {Bentley and Trimen.) The oil is of a pale yellow 

 colour when pure. Mr. J. 0. TJmney {Pharm. Joiirn., Ap. 11, 

 189], p. 922) has shown that the green colour of the commer- 

 cial oil is due to the presence of copper. According to Messrs^ 

 Bchimmel, the sp. gr. should not fall below '895 at 15^0. The 

 oil is often adulterated with petroleum. 



Ch€?mcal composithri, — E. Kremers {Proc, Am. Pharm. Assoc. y 

 1887, p. 562) found the oil to consist of an aldehyde (C^H^^O), 

 a terpene (C^^H^''), an isomer of borneol, named Citronellol, 

 and acetic and valeric acids. These two acids are said to be 

 formed through the oxidation of the aldehyde and to exist 

 originally in combination with citronellol as a compound ether. 

 T. D. Dodge [Am. Chem. Joiirn., 1889, p. 456) obtained some- 

 what different results. The aldehyde, isolated from the oil by 

 means of a concentrated solution of sodium bisulphite, accord- 

 ing to Kremers is G^H'*0, while Dodge obtained results corre- 

 sponding to C^^H^^O, and names the compound citronellic 

 aldehyde. By the action of P^0^ an oily product, probably a 

 terpene, was obtained.. By heating the dibromide of the 

 aldehyde the distillate contained a small quantity of oil having 

 the odour of cymene, C'^H^*, thus confirming the statement of 

 C. R. A. Wright {Jottm. Chem. Soc, 1875, p. 1). Oxidation 

 with potassium permanganate yielded a mixture of fatty 

 acids smelling strongly of valeric acid. A portion of the oil 

 boiling at 77^ . was probably a terpene. The portion boiling 

 at 222° C, probably citronellyl alcohol, C^^H^^O, the same as 

 obtained by the reduction of citronellic aldehyde, the acetyl 

 derivatives of both having the same characteristic rose-like odour. 



ANDROPOGON ODORATUS, Lkhoa. 



Fig. — Jonrn. Bombay Nat. Mist. Soc. iv., p. 188, 



Hab, — Western Ghauts, extending sparingly to the coast. 

 The grass. 



Vernamlar. — Vaidi-gavat, TJsadhana [Mar.]. 



111—72 



