58 ODOROGRAPHIA. 
CITRONELLA. 
Oil of Citronella is derived from the Andropogon Nardus of 
Linnzus, which is figured in Bentley and Trimen’s ‘ Medicinal 
Plants,’ tab. 297. Synonyms :— 
A. flecuosus and A. coloratus, Nees. 
A. Martini, Thwaites *. 
Cymbopogon Nardus, Linn. + 
The plant is known under many common names, such as 
Ganjni-ka-ghas, Hind.; Kamd-Khér, Beng., &c. 
In Rimmel’s Report of the Products exhibited at the 1862 
Exhibition, he wrongly assigns Citronella to A. citratus, and he is 
wrong in his names of three out of four of the grasses. 
This grass is very common in the plains of the Punjab and 
North-west Provinces ; it is extensively cultivated in Ceylon and 
at Singapore for the manufacture of the oil from its leaves, and it 
is abundant at Travancore. As cultivated in Ceylon on Winter’s 
Estate near Galle, it often attains a height of 6 or 8 feet; oil 
from this estate is considered as fine or finer than that from 
Singapore. In Ceylon the Citronella is raised from seed, and 
planted like “ Guinea-grass”’; it yields two or three crops a 
year f. 
The principal plantations are in the Malara district, where 
about 16,000 acres are planted with Citronella grass, which 
flourishes upon the poor ground. ‘The total area devoted to its 
cultivation in Ceylon is estimated at from 25,000 to 30,000 acres ; 
principally in the southern provinces. The ‘Ceylon Mercantile 
Planting Directory’ states the total number of distillatory appara- 
tus to be 467. ‘The distillation seems generally to be effected by 
the farmers. The total export of oil in 1890 was 14,559,075 
ounces ; that of 1891 is estimated at 15,000,000 ounces. 
Citronella grass is distinguished from other species by its peculiar 
reddish tint, short spikes, and narrow leaves. The pure oil is thin, 
almost colourless or of a pale greenish-yellow tint, and strongly 
aromatic. It is to this oil that the well-known odour of honey- 
soap is due. Very interesting details of recent researches in the 
* Encycl. Ceylon Plants, p. 561. 
+ Pharmacopeeia of India. 
1 ‘Tropical Agriculturalist, iii. p. 58. 
