812 



Used for fencing, screens^ &c. Hausaland (Dalziel, Hausa 

 Bot. Voc. p. 93), as forage when young, Gold Coast (Johnson, 

 Herb. Kew) and as a febrifuge, Gambia (Dawe, Rep, 1921, p. 6) ; 

 pulp suitable for making paper (Bull. Imp. Inst. 1921, p. 278). 



A perennial, up to 8 ft. high (FL Trop. Afr. I.e.); a tall 

 fragrant grass, Sokoto (Dalziel, I.e. and No. 485, 1910, Herb. 

 Kew) 6 ft, high and over, strong growing (Johnson, I.e.), in 

 clumps among other grasses, in the delta, Zambesi (Kirk, Herb. 

 Kew), about 6 ft. high, on rocky and stony ground, slopes of 

 Morambala Mt, Lower Shire, E. Africa (Scott, Herb. Kew). 



4 



Cymbopogon Nardus, Rendle in Cat. Welw. Afr. PLii. (1899) 

 p. 155 [Andropogon Nardus, Linn. Sp. PL (1753) p. 1046]. 



A tall robust plant upwards of 5 ft. high or more, leaves 

 broad. Panicle effuse with zig-zag branches, divaricate bracts; 

 small spikelets and no well-developed awn (Trimen, Fl. Ceylon). 



Vernac, names, — Panagiri mana, Maha Panagiri mana, Lenu- 

 batu Panagiri mana (Singhalese, Stapf) ; Pangiri Maana (Ceylon, 

 Trimen). — Citronella Grass. 



Ceylon, Java, Malay Peninsula, Hope Gardens in Jamaica. 

 Cultivated, and like '' Lemon Grass " only known under culti- 

 vation (Kew Bull. 1906, p. 355). 



Yields an oil used in perfumery; imported chiefly from 

 Ceylon, Malaya and Java. During 1920 Citronella Oil from 

 Ceylon, varied from 2^. k/, (lowest) to 3^. Gd. (highest) per lb, 

 and that from Java 4^. 9d. to 6<9. 3d. per lb. (Perf. & Ess. Oil 

 Rec. Dec. 1920, p. 404). In April 1921 the London Market 

 report was " Citronella oil is weak with Ceylon in original drums 

 at Is. Sd.y Is. 5d. to l^. 6d. in tins, pure commands Id. premium 

 and '^ the Java distillate has receded to 2s. dd. per lb. spot, 

 with prompt shipment from Holland, offering at 2^. Qd. ex 

 London warehouse '' (I.e. April 1921, p. 126). 



Propagated by division of the roots [the constant harvesting 

 is calculated to prevent seeding] and grows freely in rich open 

 soil in a cHmate with a heavy rainfall. Requires replanting after 

 about 12 years. In Java where there are several large plantations 

 including one of 1000 acres it is estimated that from 10 acres 

 a yield of 12 tons should be cut and four crops a year can be 

 taken off, totaUing 48 tons, yielding -| percent, or 4^ cwt. of oil. 

 To obtain the oil from the grass by distillation a small plant is 

 required, consisting of one boiler (£250) and a tank and con- 

 denser with pipe connection (£85). A round tank, 16 ft. in. 

 diameter would be sufficiently large to treat four crops a year 

 off 200 acres if worked day and night (Kew Bull. 1906, p. 363). 

 The yield in Ceylon averages in the first and principal season 

 (July to August) from 16-20 bottles (of 22 oz. each) per acre 

 and from 5-10 bottles per acre for the second season (December 

 to February), varying according to weather, age and location of 

 the plantation (Gildemeister & Hoffmann, seq. p. 291); it has 

 been (1905) 1,282,471 lb. of oil from 40,000-50,000 acres and in 

 the Malay Peninsula (1903) about 30,009 lb. of oil from about 



