Cymbopogon

Lemongrass
	Cymbopogon citratus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Subfamily:	Panicoideae
Supertribe:	Andropogonodae
Tribe:	Andropogoneae
Subtribe:	Andropogoninae
Genus:	Cymbopogon; Spreng.
Type species
	Cymbopogon schoenanthus; (L.) Spreng.
Synonyms
	Andropogon sect. Cymbopogon (Spreng.) Steud.; Andropogon subg. Cymbopogon (Spreng.) Nees; Gymnanthelia Andersson;

Cymbopogon, also known as lemongrass, barbed wire grass, silky heads, oily heads, Cochin grass, Malabar grass, citronella grass or fever grass, is a genus of Asian, African, Australian, and tropical island plants in the grass family. Some species (particularly Cymbopogon citratus) are commonly cultivated as culinary and medicinal herbs because of their scent, resembling that of lemons (Citrus limon). The name cymbopogon derives from the Greek words kymbe (κύμβη, 'boat') and pogon (πώγων, 'beard') "which mean [that] in most species, the hairy spikelets project from boat-shaped spathes." Lemongrass and its oil are believed to possess therapeutic properties.

Uses

Citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus and Cymbopogon winterianus) grow to about 2 metres (6+1⁄2 feet) and have magenta-colored base stems. These species are used for the production of citronella oil, which is used in soaps, as an insect repellent (especially mosquitoes and houseflies) in insect sprays and candles, and aromatherapy. The principal chemical constituents of citronella, geraniol and citronellol, are antiseptics, hence their use in household disinfectants and soaps. Besides oil production, citronella grass is also used for culinary purposes as a flavoring.

Culinary

East Indian lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), also called Cochin grass or Malabar grass, is native to Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand, while West Indian lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is native to maritime Southeast Asia. While both can be used interchangeably, C. citratus is more suitable for cooking.

Folk medicine

In India, C. citratus is used as a medical herb and in perfumes. C. citratus is consumed as a tea for anxiety in Brazilian folk medicine, but a study in humans found no effect. The tea caused a recurrence of contact dermatitis in one case.

Other

Folk magic

In Hoodoo, lemongrass is the primary ingredient of van van oil, one of the most popular oils used in conjure. Lemongrass is used in this preparation and on its own in hoodoo to protect against evil, spiritually clean a house, and to bring good luck in love affairs.

Insect

In beekeeping, lemongrass oil imitates the pheromone emitted by a honeybee's Nasonov gland to attract bees to a hive or a swarm.

Species

Species in the genus include:

Cymbopogon ambiguus (Australian lemon-scented grass) – Australia, Timor
Cymbopogon annamensis – Yunnan, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand
Cymbopogon bhutanicus – Bhutan
Cymbopogon bombycinus silky oilgrass – Australia
Cymbopogon caesius – Sub-Saharan Africa, Indian Subcontinent, Yemen, Afghanistan, Madagascar, Comoros, Réunion
Cymbopogon calcicola – Thailand, Kedah
Cymbopogon calciphilus – Thailand
Cymbopogon cambogiensis – Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam
Cymbopogon citratus (lemon grass or West Indian lemon grass) – Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines
Cymbopogon clandestinus – Thailand, Myanmar, Andaman Islands
Cymbopogon coloratus – Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Myanmar, Vietnam
Cymbopogon commutatus – Sahel, East Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan
Cymbopogon densiflorus – central + south-central Africa
Cymbopogon dependens – Australia
Cymbopogon dieterlenii – Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa
Cymbopogon distans – Gansu, Guizhou, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Tibet, Yunnan, Nepal, northern Pakistan, Jammu & Kashmir
Cymbopogon exsertus – Nepal, Assam
Cymbopogon flexuosus (East Indian lemon grass) – Indian Subcontinent, Indochina
Cymbopogon gidarba – Indian Subcontinent, Myanmar, Yunnan
Cymbopogon giganteus – Africa, Madagascar
Cymbopogon globosus – Maluku, New Guinea, Queensland
Cymbopogon goeringii – China, Korea, Japan incl Ryukyu Islands, Vietnam
Cymbopogon gratus – Queensland
Cymbopogon jwarancusa – Socotra, Turkey, Middle East, Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Indian Subcontinent, Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan, Vietnam
Cymbopogon khasianus – Yunnan, Guangxi, Assam, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand
Cymbopogon liangshanensis – Sichuan
Cymbopogon mandalaiaensis – Myanmar
Cymbopogon marginatus – Cape Province of South Africa
Cymbopogon martini (palmarosa) – Indian Subcontinent, Myanmar, Vietnam
Cymbopogon mekongensis – China, Indochina
Cymbopogon microstachys Indian Subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Yunnan
Cymbopogon microthecus – Nepal, Bhutan, Assam, West Bengal, Bangladesh
Cymbopogon minor – Yunnan
Cymbopogon minutiflorus – Sulawesi
Cymbopogon nardus (citronella grass) – Indian Subcontinent, Indochina, central + southern Africa, Madagascar, Seychelles
Cymbopogon nervatus – Myanmar, Thailand, central Africa
Cymbopogon obtectus Silky-heads – Australia
Cymbopogon osmastonii – India, Bangladesh
Cymbopogon pendulus – Yunnan, eastern Himalayas, Myanmar, Vietnam
Cymbopogon polyneuros – Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, Myanmar
Cymbopogon pospischilii – eastern + southern Africa, Oman, Yemen, Himalayas, Tibet, Yunnan
Cymbopogon procerus – Australia, New Guinea, Maluku, Lesser Sunda Islands, Sulawesi
Cymbopogon pruinosus – islands of Indian Ocean
Cymbopogon queenslandicus – Queensland
Cymbopogon quinhonensis – Vietnam
Cymbopogon rectus – Lesser Sunda Islands, Java
Cymbopogon refractus (barbed wire grass) – Australia incl Norfolk Island
Cymbopogon schoenanthus (camel hay or camel grass) – Sahara, Sahel, eastern Africa, Arabian Peninsular, Iran
Cymbopogon tortilis – China incl Taiwan, Ryukyu + Bonin Is, Philippines, Vietnam, Maluku
Cymbopogon tungmaiensis – Sichuan, Tibet, Yunnan
Cymbopogon winterianus (citronella grass) – Borneo, Java, Sumatra
Cymbopogon xichangensis – Sichuan

Formerly included

Numerous species are now regarded as better suited to other genera, including Andropogon, Exotheca, Hyparrhenia, Iseilema, Schizachyrium, and Themeda.

Images

Lemongrass at a market
Prepared lemongrass
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) essential oil in clear glass vial
Thai yam takhrai kung sot (ยำตะไคร้กุ้งสด), a salad (yam) made with prawns and finely sliced fresh lemongrass
A knot of lemongrass used to impart fragrance in dinuguan (Filipino pork blood stew)
Knots of lemongrass ready for use in Filipino cuisine

References

Akhila, Anand (2010). Essential Oil-Bearing Grasses - The genus Cymbopogon. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-8493-7857-7.

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