46 Report of Schimmel § Co. 1922. 



Lemongras Oil. — Two samples of this oil was forwarded to the Imperial Institute 

 from Seychelles. One of these samples was stated to have been obtained from Andro- 

 pogon Schoenanthus, L. = Cymbopogon citratus, 'Stapf, which has been grown in Seychelles 

 for a long period. The oil had the following constants:— dg§ 0.883, « D20 o — 0° 12', 

 n D20O 1.486, insoluble in 70 percent, alcohol, practically soluble in 0.9 vol. 80 per cent, 

 alcohol at 15°, becoming turbid on dilution; citral, determined by the bisulphite method, 

 78.5 per cent. The oil is therefore of similar character to the West Indian lemongrass oil. 

 The sample was valued in London at about 6 d. per oz., when commercial lemongrass 

 oil was quoted at 8 d. per oz. (February 1919). 



The second sample was stated to have been derived from a variety of lemongrass 

 (Cymbopogon flexuosus?) introduced into the colony from Cochin in 1911. The golden- 

 yellow oil showed an odour resembling that of lemongrass and also that of citronella oil. 

 The constants were:— d— § 0.898, « D20 o — 1.0° 12', n D20 o 1.484, insoluble in 70 percent, 

 alcohol, soluble in 1 vol. 80 per cent, alcohol at 15°, be coming slightly turbid with 

 3 vols.; citral, 38 percent, (bisulphite method); geraniol, 20.5 percent. These data 

 show that the oil differs markedly in composition from the East Indian oil and suggest 

 that this "lemongrass" oil is not derived from Cymbopogon flexuosus, but from some 

 other species. Possibly it may ever be a mixture of lemongrass and citronella oils. 



We gather from and English periodical 1 ) the following statements concerning the 

 so-called West Indian lemongrass oil derived from Cymbopogon citratus, Stapf which is 

 known to differ from the East Indian oil by its low solubility in alcohol. The oil was 

 originally distilled in Travancore and came to England via Cochin for the first time 

 in 1832. When later the industry extended northwards to Malabar, Calicut became the 

 centre of distribution. Recently, the oil is being distilled in Assam and Java. Before 

 the war, from 2000 to 3000 cases, each containing one dozen quart bottles of oil (each 

 1.236 litres) were exported annually from Cochin to Bombay as well as to New York, 

 Hamburg, and London. 



Oil of Leptospermum flavescens. — In the oil of Leptospermum flavescens var, 

 citratum, Challinor, Cheel and Penfold 2 ), some years ago, proved the presence of a 

 phenol yielding a benzoate of them. p. .67°. This phenol, termed leptospermol, has now 

 been investigated closely by Penfold 3 ). The amount of the phenol in the oil varied 

 according to the different localities from which the material was collected, and ranged 

 between 0.75 and 8.0 per cent. The leptospermol (Ci 4 H 2 o0 4 ?) was abstracted from the 

 oil by shaking with a 3 percent, caustic soda solution and was a somewhat viscous 

 liquid, almost colourless, with a pleasant and characteristic odour, and the following 

 constants:— b. p. 145 to 146° (10mm.), 275 to 278° (770mm., uncorr.), d 20 o 1.073, 

 « + 0, n D20 o 1.5000. In alcoholic solution, it gave with ferric chloride a brilliant distinctive 

 orange-red coloration; with copper salts, an intease blue coloration. Derivatives of 

 the phenol were not obtained. The phenol bears a very strong resemblance to the 

 phenol tasmanol 4 ) found in various eucalyptus oils, but differed therefrom by the 

 refractive index and the boiling-point under reduced pressure. 



Oil of Leptospermum grandiflorum. — From the leaves of Leptospermum grandi- 

 florum, Lodd., a myrtacea growing in the river-beds in New South Wales, A. R. Penfold 5 ) 

 obtained 0.61 per cent, of a rather viscous, dark brown oil. After shaking with dilute 



!) Per/urn. Record 12 (1921), 50. — 2 ) Comp. Report 1919, 34. — s ) Perfum. Record 12 (1921), 336. 

 — *) Comp. Report 1916, 30. — 5 ) Journ. Proceed. ofR. S. ofN. S. W. 54 (1921), 197. Ace. to Bull. Roure-Bertrand 

 Fils, October 1921, 159. 



