“399 
- Practically nothing is known of the conditions under which 
this grass grows; but it hasa distinctly xerophytic habit. It is 
a highly aromatic grass. There is, however, no evidence that it is 
used for extracting oil or for any other purposes, unless it is one 
of the ‘lemon-grasses’ of the Malabar district to which the 
following* refers: “The natives of Ernad and Waluvanad 
empirically distinguish no fewer than 27 species of lemon-grass, 
but say that only five of these varieties possess a commercial 
value. They also state that the most valuable of these varieties 
does not blossom. Ernad and Waluvanad, I am reliably informed, 
are full of hills on which lemon-grass grows wild and could 
be had virtually for the collecting.” The variety which does 
not blossom is, I may add, very probably C. citratus. The 
vernacular names which I have been able to collect require further 
confirmation and revision. They are to be found in the second 
part of this paper under C. coloratus. 
7. Cymbopogon citratus, Stap/. 
(Andropogon citratus DC.) 
Lemon Grass (kar é€0xv); Sereh (Malay). 
HARLY HISTORY IN INDIA.—In 1695, Petiver announced in 
his ‘Museum’ (p. 55, no. 586) a “Gramen citratum fragrantis- 
simum e Madraspatan.” A few years later Plukenet referred to 
the same grass in Almag. Mant. p. 97 °(1700) in these words: 
‘“‘“Gramen cyperoides citratum, Ind. Or. foliis odore corticum 
Citri; Vasnapillee Malabarorum.” The sender of the grass was 
Dr. Samuel Browne, Surgeon at Fort St. George, and he, in his 
‘Seventh Book of East Indian Plants,’f edited and commented on 
by. Petiver, gives the following account of it: “This is a most 
delicate sort of fragrant Grass which being rubbed smells like 
Baume and Lime or Limon peel together. The Portuguese Women 
fume their children with it, and give the Decoction of it with 
other things for Fevers and to strengthen weak stomachs; but 
the Natives use it not, which together with its growing in Gardens 
on the Sea coast and not up the Country, as I can yet observe, 
makes me think the Portuguese brought this from other parts and 
planted it here ; certainly, so excellent a Plant of such Fragrant 
and Aromatik taste must have many Vertues. I use it in many 
cases, and generally with success./ While I was writing this, in 
came a Person, who says, that about 30 years ago, viz., about 1666, 
-ene Antonio Palia, brought 3 Pots of this Grass one Batavia to 
Paliacut, one of which he sent to a Garden, here at Madrasgs.”’ | 
Browne’s specimen is no longer in existence; but there can 
be no doubt as to what the plant was. From a note on a label in 
Rottler’s herbarium, we know that the Portuguese in India called 
it ‘Herba cheirosa,’ the Portuguese equivalent of the Tamil Vasa- 
ma-pillu, and Roxburgh in an early manuscript} of his Flora 
ney Reprint from the Madras Mail in Tropic. Agricult., vol. xxiii. (1903), 
p. 351. 
+ Petiver, Samuel: Browne, his seventh Book of East Indian Plants, i in Phil. 
Trans, vol, xxiii. (1702), pp. 1251-1252, . 
-was-longin-the- -possession- of the Govan-family-and-is TOW 
at Kew. It is, as compared with the published “ Flora Indica,” much abridged. 
