ESSENTIAL OILS 177 



The variety hamatulus is of very local occurrence in the Phil- 

 ippines, is nowhere cultivated, and is apparently not used in the 

 Archipelago. It is distributed from the northern to the southern 

 limits of the Philippines. 



ANDROPOGON ZIZANIOIDES (L.) Urb. (Fig. 59). Vetiver or Moras. 



Local names: Amora (Cebu) ; amoras (Ilocos Norte) ; anids or anids 

 de moras (Pampanga) ; anis de moro (Ilocos Sur, Abra) ; geron, giron 

 (Iloilo) ; ilib (Pampanga) ; mora or inoras (Pampanga, Tarlac, Rizal, Ma- 

 nila, Laguna, Camarines, Albay, Sorsogon, Antique, Cebu, Occidental Ne- 

 gros) ; rimodas (Capiz) ; rimora (Zambales) ; rimoras (Camarines) ; tres 

 moras (Capiz). 



VETIVER OIL 



Oil obtained from the roots of this grass is known as vetiver 

 and also as cusciis. The oil is obtained by steam-distilling the 

 roots, which are first macerated in water. It has been employed 

 as an aromatic, carminative and diaphoretic. It is used con- 

 siderably as a constituent of high grade perfumes and also as 

 a perfume fixative, which makes the odors less volatile and more 

 lasting. 



According to Askinson,* the roots are used in India for making 

 fragrant mats, while shavings are employed for filling sachet 

 bags. The odor of the roots is somewhat similar to that of 

 sandal wood. Fans made of the roots are sold in oriental-curio 

 shops in the United States under the name of "sandal-root" fans. 

 Piesse f states that in Calcutta, vetiver (vitivert or kus-kus) is 

 made into awnings and sunshades. During the hot season the 

 shades are sprinkled with water, the evaporation of which cools 

 the apartment, while the atmosphere is perfumed with the fra- 

 grant odor. 



In the Philippines, the roots are woven into fans which are 

 prized on account of their agreeable odor. The stalks are also 

 used for making hats, while the leaves are sometimes employed 

 for thatching. 



According to Watt, J the roots of Andropogon zizanioides — 



* * * When distilled with water yield a fragrant Oil (known in 

 European trade as Vetiver, which is used as a perfume and for flavouring 

 sherbet. It commands a high price in Europe, being employed in many 

 favourite scents. It is the most viscid of essential oils, and hence its sparing 

 volatility is taken advantage of in fixing other perfumes. The oil is 

 hardly, if ever, exported from India, European supplies being either locally 



* Askinson, G. W., Perfumes and cosmetics (1915), pages 54, 173, 225. 

 t Piesse, C. H., Art of perfumery (1891), page 233. 



J Watt, George, The commercial products of India (1908), page 1106. 



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