Cymbopogon citratus

Lemongrass ( Cymbopogon citratus )

The lemon grass ( Cymbopogon citratus ), also more accurate West Indian lemon grass, West Indian lemongrass or Guatemalan lemongrass or Sereh called, is a flowering plant in the family of grasses ( Poaceae ). It is only known from culture, the original home is unknown. This type and some other Cymbopogon species are cultivated in the same manner as a spice and medicinal plant and used.

• 3.1 cultivation

• 6.1 Notes and references

Description

Appearance and leaf

The West -Indian lemon grass grows as an evergreen, perennial herbaceous plant that reaches the stature heights of 1 to 2 meters. It forms dense clumps by short rhizomes. The sturdy stems have a diameter of about 4 mm and floured below the nodes ( more nodes ).

Your true leaves develop an aromatic scent. The leaves are divided into leaf sheath and blade. The leaf sheath is glabrous and greenish inside. The simple, massive, bluish - green leaf blade is 30 to 90 inches long and 0.5 to 2 centimeters wide, narrowed toward the leaf sheath and tapers gradually toward the base and has a long pointed upper end. The ligule ( ligules ) are about 1 millimeter long.

Inflorescence and flower

The relatively large compound, loose, Rispige total inflorescence is 30 to 60 inches long and drooping. The branches are thin. The reddish or yellowish - brown bracts are 1.5 to 2 inches long. The standing in pairs racemose partial inflorescences are 1 to 2.5 inches long. Both the internodes of the inflorescence axis ( rachis ) and the stems of the partial inflorescences are loose hairs 2-3 mm long shaggy. The almost stem-like rachis is fragile on the branches. The seated spikelets are flattened at a length of 5 to 6 cm and a width of about 0.7 millimeters in outline linear or lanceolate, and at the upper end. The standing in pairs spikelets are 4-5 mm long. One of each of the Ährchenpaares is fertile and sitting and the other sterile and stalked. Fertile spikelets contain at their base a sterile florets, then follows a fertiles florets, but it is not Rhachisverlängerung available.

The flowers have the typical structure of the Poaceae flowers. The lower glume is lanceolate, flat or slightly konvav back to base, with two sharp, not edged keels between which no nerves are visible. The upper glume is lanceolate, thin and easy, without awn or slightly bilobed with an approximately 0.2 millimeters long spike tip. The lemma is lanceolate and translucent with smooth or serrated upper end. The palea is tiny or missing. There are only three stamens present. The pens are free.

Phenology

In China is the flowering period and the maturity of the fruit in the summer.

Set of chromosomes

The chromosome number is 2n = 40

Ingredients

The following ingredients were detected: 1,8-cineole, acetone, alcohols, 10,000 to 15,000 ppm, alkaloids 3000 ppm alpha-beta Dihydropseudoionon, alpha Camphoron, alpha pinene, alpha terpineol, aluminum 515 ppm ash 43000 ppm, beta - Dihydropseudoionon, beta -sitosterol, calcium 3680 ppm, capric acid, caprylic acid [[]], caryophyllene, Cerryl alcohol, chromium 37 ppm citral 1080-25500 ppm, citronellal, Citrollenic acid, citronellol, citronellyl acetate, cobalt 48 ppm, Cymgopogon, Cymbopogonol example, as a sheet of wax, decanal, diacetyl, d'limonene, ethylene 2,000 to 30,000 ppm, farnesal, farnesol, fatty 71000 ppm, fucosterol, furfural, Geranic - acid, geraniol, geranyl acetate, HCN, Hexasanol, iron 543 ppm, Ispulegol, Isovaleralaldehyd, isovaleric acid, L -linalool, limonene, linalool, linalyl acetate, luteolin, luteolin -C -glycoside, magnesium 3310 ppm manganese 104 ppm, methyl Heptonol, methyl Hepton 4 to 12 ppm, myrcene 240-3600 ppm, N- decyl, neral, nerol, 2140 ppm of phosphorus, potassium 23,000 ppm, 82,000 ppm, proteins, quercetin, rutin, saponins, selenium, 62 ppm, 132 ppm silicon, 640 ppm sodium, 7.1 ppm tin, Triancontanol, zinc.

Taxonomy

The first description was in 1813 as Andropogon citratus DC. ( = Basionym ) written by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in Catalogus plantarum horti botanici monspeliensis, p 78, there as " citratum ". The recombination Cymbopogon citratus to ( DC.) Stapf Otto Stapf was published in 1906 in the Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information Kew 1906, pp. 322, 357. More for Cymbopogon citratus Synomye ( DC.) Stapf are: Andropogon cerifer Hack, Andropogon citratus DC.. ex Nees, Andropogon citriodorum hort. ex Desf. , Andropogon nardus subsp. ceriferus ( Hack. ) Hack., Andropogon Nees ex Steud roxburghii. , Andropogon schoenanthus L., Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle, Cymbopogon nardus subvar. citratus ( DC.) Roberty.

Use

The reed-like green plant parts, especially the succulent stems and the base of the leaves are used fresh in the kitchen as a spice in particular. Dried lemon grass is in pieces or ground commercially, but has only a faint aroma.

The long, fresh leaves are used in many Asian countries (for example, in Thailand) for the preparation of thirst-quenching tea drinks. The stems are softened up before they are scalded with boiling water to dissolve the essential oils especially good. Lemongrass gives herbal tea blends an exotic touch. Lemon grass is also used in other non-alcoholic drinks. It is processed in baked goods and in confectionery. The taste of lemongrass is fresh and lemony with a hint of rose fragrance. It thus gives cooked food a very round flavor. Typically it `s for many Vietnamese and Indonesian dishes. Meanwhile, lemongrass also in Central Europe a common ingredient in various foods and drinks.

The name of the drug is Herba Andropogonis, Cymbopogon citratus, leaves ( lemon grass) and Cymbopogon citrati aetheroleum ( lemongrass oil ).

Lemongrass oil is extensively used as a fragrance in Perfumes and cosmetics such as soaps and creams. The extracted from the oil citral is used as a flavoring for soft drinks in scented soaps and detergents, as a fragrance in perfumes and cosmetics, and to mask unpleasant odors in several industrial products. Its essential oil has a lemony smell and flavor and contains more than 80 % citral and up to 20% myrcene. The essential oils of lemongrass and other aromatic fragrant grasses are also used in deterring agents against stinging insects ( repellents ).

At medicinal effects Lemon grass is said to have a reduction of bloating. For Cymbopogon citratus antimicrobial activity reports. The oil of Cymbopogon citratus acts in the central nervous system calming. The oil may have a certain pesticide and mutagenic effects.

It is also used as an ornamental plant in parks and gardens.

Cultivation

The two lemon grass species are grown on a commercial scale in India, Sri Lanka, Indochina, China, England, Africa, Central and South America. They thrive at temperatures 18-29 ° C and annual rainfall 700-4100 mm on sandy soils with good drainage with pH values ​​from 5.0 to 5.8 ( Cymbopogon flexuosus ), or 4.3 to 8.4 ( Cymbopogon citratus ). To mount a warm, humid climate and full sunlight is required. The reproduce vegetatively. A plantation can be used up to eight years after replanting. It can be made up to four harvests per year. There are a number of varieties. Your Hardiness corresponds as evergreen plant wintering USDA climate zones 10 to 11, the underground parts of plants survive well in areas with USDA 8b Zone.

Similar Species

The " East Indian lemon grass " or "Indian lemongrass " ( Cymbopogon flexuosus ) comes from India, but is cultivated more for the perfumery and as a medicinal herb, but not as a spice. The essential oil also contains up to about 80 % citral, but little myrcene. " Citronella " is a fragrant sweet grass with the scientific name Cymbopogon nardus. Its essential oil contains mainly ( subspecies fluctuating) geraniol and citronellal. "Palma Rosa" ( Cymbopogon martinii ), however, has hardly a citrus scent, but smells rather sweet and flowery. Its essential oil consists mainly of geraniol and citronellal maximum of 10%. Also from Cymbopogon nardus Citronella is obtained.

Plant diseases

Lemongrass has been infected by the rust fungus Puccinia nakanishikii, Puccinia cymbopogonis and Puccinia purpurea.

Swell

• Shou- liang Chen & Sylvia M. Phillips: Cymbopogon citratus, pp. 627 - text the same online as printed work, In: Wu Zheng -yi, Peter H. Raven & Deyuan Hong (eds.): Flora of China, Volume 22 - Poaceae, Science Press and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, Beijing and St. Louis in 2006. ISBN 1-930723-50-4 ( section description)
• WD Clayton, MS Vorontsova, KT Harman and H. Williamson: datasheet at Grass Base - The Online World Grass Flora. ( Description section )
• Bryan Kenneth Simon, 2012: Cymbopogon citratus at Grass World.
• Datasheet Lemongrass Cymbopogon sp. in Aromatic and Medicinal Plants of Purdue.