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Useful Temperate Plants

Cymbopogon iwarancusa

(Roxb.) Schult.

Poaceae


The name of this taxon is spelled Cymbopogon jwarancusa in many publications. However, Schultes published this as "Cymbopogon iwarancusa", although Jones originally spelled it as "Jwarancusa", he did not accept the name so it is invalid there; Roxburgh validated it in 1820 as Andropogon iwarancusa.

+ Synonyms

Andropogon ariani Edgew.

Andropogon himalayensis Gand.

Andropogon iwarancusa Jones ex Roxb.

Andropogon jwarancusa Jones

Andropogon laniger Desf.

Andropogon olivieri Boiss.

Cymbopogon ariani (Edgew.) Aitch.

Cymbopogon ladakhensis B.K.Gupta

Cymbopogon laniger (Desf.) Duthie

Cymbopogon olivieri (Boiss.) Bor

Cymbopogon schoenanthus laniger (Desf.) Maire & Weiller

Gymnanthelia lanigera (Desf.) Andersson

Sorghum iwarancusa (Jones ex Roxb.) Kuntz

Sorghum lanigerum (Desf.) Kuntze

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Cymbopogon iwarancusa is an evergreen, clump-forming grass with short rhizomes; it produces erect to ascending, densely tufted culms 30 - 150cm tall.
The plant is commonly harvested from the wild for use as a medicine and as a source of essential oils. It is sold in local and national markets.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

Asia - Turkey, through Irag to Yemen, east to India, southern China and Vietnam

Habitat

Mountain slopes, dry valleys[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. Found on plains at lower elevations to mountains at elevations up to 3,000 metres in India.

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Perennial
Height1.00 m
PollinatorsWind
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Cymbopogon iwarancusa is found in warm temperate to tropical regions from eastern Turkey and Arabia to India, southern China and Vietnam.
Species in this genus generally grow best in a sunny position in a moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. Many of them are found in dry soils in the wild[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The plant is sometimes cultivated and improved forms (essential oils) have been developed in India[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].
The plant is aromatic[
272
Title
Plants and People of Nepal
Publication
 
Author
Manandhar. N. P.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
2002
ISBN
0-88192-527-6
Description
Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The leaves are antirheumatic, antitussive, aromatic, blood purifier, febrifuge, stimulant, sudorific and tonic[
240
Title
Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
Publication
 
Author
Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
Publisher
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
Year
1986
ISBN
-
Description
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
]. They are used in the treatment of fevers, coughs, rheumatism, gout, dyspepsia, cholera etc[
240
Title
Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
Publication
 
Author
Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
Publisher
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
Year
1986
ISBN
-
Description
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
].

The roots are commonly used in India for the treatment of a range of feverish conditions. They are boiled in water until the amount of water is halved and this liquid is then kept in the mouth for 15 - 20 minutes to treat pyorrhea[
272
Title
Plants and People of Nepal
Publication
 
Author
Manandhar. N. P.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
2002
ISBN
0-88192-527-6
Description
Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
].

The flowers are styptic[
240
Title
Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
Publication
 
Author
Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
Publisher
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
Year
1986
ISBN
-
Description
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
].

The leaves contain around 1% of an essential oil, the major constituent of which is piperitone, in the range of (83 - 90% in some forms)[
240
Title
Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
Publication
 
Author
Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
Publisher
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
Year
1986
ISBN
-
Description
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
,
1382
Title
In-Vitro Efficacy of Certain Essential Oils and Plant Extracts against Three Major Pathogens of Jatropha curcas L.
Publication
American Journal of Plant Sciences, 2015, 6, 362-365
Author
Purnajyoti Deka Bhuyan; Phatik Tamuli; Paran Boruah
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2015.62041
Publisher
 
Year
2015
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
An extract of the leaves has been shown to be an effective antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus salivarius; it is also an effective antifungal against Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium oxyporum. An ethanol extract was much more effective than a water extract[
1383
Title
Study of Antimicrobial Activity and Carbon Composition by GC-FID of extract from Cymbopogon jwarancusa (Jones.)
Publication
International Journal of Natural Products Research 2013; 3(3): 57-61
Author
Prasad Chandan; Singh Digvijay and Shukla Omkar
Website
http://www.urpjournals.com
Publisher
 
Year
2013
ISBN
2249-0353
Description
 
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is sometimes grown for the fixation and reclamation of sand dunes[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].

Other Uses

The essential oil obtained from the leaves has been shown to be an effective fungicide in treating pathogenic fungi on the cultivated plant Jatropha curcas[
1382
Title
In-Vitro Efficacy of Certain Essential Oils and Plant Extracts against Three Major Pathogens of Jatropha curcas L.
Publication
American Journal of Plant Sciences, 2015, 6, 362-365
Author
Purnajyoti Deka Bhuyan; Phatik Tamuli; Paran Boruah
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2015.62041
Publisher
 
Year
2015
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow or only just cover, sowing the seeds in trays in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots at the 3 - 4 leaf stage and grow on for at least their first winter under glass. Plant out when in active growth in early summer and consider giving some winter protection for the first year or two.
Division of established clumps. This is best done annually or they can become too crowded and suffer. The offshoots of this species often fail to establish[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Cymbopogon+iwarancusa>

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