Aloysia citrodora
Lemon verbena ( Aloysia citrodora )
The lemon verbena ( Aloysia citrodora ), also known as lemon-scented shrub or lemon verbena, a plant belonging to the family of verbena plants is ( Verbenaceae ).
- 8.1 Notes and references
Description
The lemon verbena grows as a deciduous shrub with plant height 2-6 meters. Most parts of the plants smell strongly of lemon. The three of us standing together leaves are divided into petiole and leaf blade. The petiole is 2 to 10 mm long. The leaf blade is (3 to ) 4.5 to 11 cm long and (7 to ) 9 to 25 mm wide.
The terminal, aged men inflorescences have a length of up to 25 cm, have a woolly hairy inflorescence stem and bracts. The most very short -stalked flowers are zygomorphic, hermaphrodite and have a double perianth ( perianth ). The four about 3.5 mm long sepals are fused Roehrig, with the calyx teeth have only a quarter or less of the total length. The four white to off-white, 3.5 to 5.5 mm long petals are fused into a 2.5 to 3.7 mm long tube. It's just a circle of four stamens present, which are adherent to the corolla tube. The stamens are 0.2 to 0.4 mm long. Two carpels are fused into a superior ovaries, which is intense hairy.
The fruit is divided into 1.3 to 1.8 × 0.5 to 0.6 mm wide, maroon part fruit.
The chromosome number is 2n = 36
System
Aloysia citrodora in 1784 pract by Antonio Palau y Verdera in Parte. bot., 1, pp. 768 firstdescribed. Synonyms for Aloysia citrodora Palau are: Aloysia triphylla (L' Hér. ) Britton, Lippia citrodora Kunth, Lippia triphylla (L' Hér. ) Kuntze, Verbena triphylla L' Hér, Zappania citrodora Lam.. The specific epithet refers to the intensive citrodora Zironenduft the plant. The specific epithet triphylla ( trefoil ) indicates the leaf arrangement.
The genus name refers to Mary Louise of Bourbon -Parma, wife of Charles IV of Spain.
Origin and History
The lemon shrub native to South America (Uruguay, Argentina ( Catamarca, Jujuy, La Rioja, Salta, Tucuman ) Chile, Peru ). He was taken to the end of the 18th century to Europe. Today, it is a term for foodies and herb lovers.
Fragrances and ingredients
The leaves can be cooked like spinach. The leaves are used as a spice for sweet or savory salads much more common. From the fresh and dried leaves can brew tea.
Medical effects have been investigated. The essential oils are widely used, for example as a perfume component or as insect repellent.
Lemon verbena contain fine, fresh -scented lemon essential oils. The intensity is significantly stronger than in most other lemon -scented plants. Even when slight rubbing their leaves produces a strong smell of citrus flavors. The essential oils (below 1% ) as main components, the aldehydes citral, neral and geranial and other monoterpenes or monoterpene ( limonene, carvone, d'limonene, linalool, nerol, geraniol ).
Use
The fresh leaves are preferably used, but also dried leaves are very popular, because the lemon flavor in the dried state of the leaves remain long.
Refinement of food
Gourmet and gourmets process the lemon verbena like in the kitchen. Used the leaves for salads, pork and mushroom dishes, but also to flavor desserts such as fruit salad, pudding and ice cream making. In addition, you can incorporate finely cut leaves in the frosting for lemon cake.
Drinks
The lemon verbena is also used for the preparation of beverages. If one freshly picked lemon verbena leaves for half an hour in hot water, the result is a pleasant refreshing tea. The lemony flavor of lemon verbena is in France as stimulating Soothing Good Evening tea is very popular and known there as " Verbena ". Even the drink Inca Kola from Peru used the aroma of lemon verbena ( it is locally " Cedrón " called ). Under Verbena is usually understood lemon verbena or significantly fragrant verbena. Real Vervain (Verbena officinalis) tastes bitter contrast.
Cosmetics
Lemon verbena is used not only as a bath additive, which unfolds a refreshing effect, but also for the perfuming of soaps or refinement.
Household
Bag or bunch of lemon verbena bring a fresh scent into the house or in the closet.
Effects on health
Since lemon verbena are appetizing and digestive, they help against indigestion or constipation. They also have a slightly calming nervousness, insomnia, and so in conjunction with the other properties also for colds.
Will be accepted antimicrobial properties.