Cymbopogon citratus - Avartaki, Lemongrass

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Bhustrina, Cymbopogon, lemongrass

Bhustrina better known as lemongrass, is a genus of Asian, African, Australian, and tropical island plants in the grass family.

Uses

ore throats, Cough, cold, Anxiety, High cholesterol, Digestion, Rough, Kidney detoxification.

Parts Used

Leaves, stem.

Chemical Composition

Seed contains anthraquinones,namely; (aurantio-obtusin, chryso-obtusin,obtusin, chrysoobtusin-2-O-beta-glucoside,physcion,emodin,chrysophanol,obtusifolin,obtusifolin-2-O-beta-D-glucoside, alaternin 2-O-β-Dglucopyranoside)15, brassinosteroids(brassinolide, castasterone, typhasterol,teasterone, and 28-norcastasterone), andmonoglycerides (monopalmitin andmonoolein)16. Phenolic glycosides such asrubrofusarin triglucoside, nor-rubrofusaringentiobioside, demethylflavasperone gentiobioside, torachrysone gentiobioside,torachrysone tetraglucoside and torachrysoneapioglucoside were also isolated 17

Common names

Language	Common name
Kannada	Majjigehullu
Hindi	Gandhatrina
Malayalam	Vasana Pullu
Tamil	Karppurappul
Telugu	Nimmagaddi
Marathi	NA
Gujarathi	NA
Punjabi	NA
Kashmiri	NA
Sanskrit	Aaavartaki
English	Lemon Grass, Oil grass

Habit

annual shrub

Identification

Leaf

Kind	Shape	Feature
alternate	stipulate	The leaves are alternate, stipulate, paripinnate compound, very numerous, closely placed, rachis 8.8-12.5 cm long, narrowly furrowed, slender, pubescent, with an erect linear gland between the leaflets of each pair, leaflets 16-24, very shortly stalked 2-2.5 cm long 1-1.3 cm broad, slightly overlapping, oval oblong, obtuse, at both the ends

.

Flower

Type	Size	Color and composition	Stamen	More information
bisexual	2.5 cm long	bright yellow	5-20	The racemes are few-flowered, short, erect, crowded in axils of upper leaves so as to form a large terminal inflorescence stamens barren; the ovary is superior, unilocular, with marginal ovules.

Fruit

Type	Size	Mass	Appearance	Seeds	More information
short legume	7.5–11 cm long, 1.5 cm broad	clearly grooved lengthwise, Lowest hooked hairs aligned towards crown	oblong, obtuse, tipped with long style base, flat, thin, papery, undulately crimpled, pilose, pale brown.	12-20 seeds	{{{6}}}

List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used

• Vishatinduka Taila as root juice extract

Mode of Propagation

Individual shoots.

How to plant/cultivate

Plants reach about 3 m height with 3.5 cm stem diameter in 2 years, in 4 years about 5 m height and 7 cm stem diameter. Flowering and fruiting is almost throughout the year, but in India there are usually two main flowering periods, one in the early monsoon and another in the late monsoon.

Commonly seen growing in areas

dry regions of India, sea coast, dry zone in Sri Lanka.

Photo Gallery

• 

  Lemon grass at a market

• 

  Prepared lemon grass

• 

  Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) essential oil in clear glass vial