lemongrass

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Lemon Grass
• West Indian lemongrass

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Andropogon cerifer
• Andropogon citratus
• Cymbopogon nardus subvar. citratus
• Andropogon roxburghii
• Andropogon nardus subsp. cerifer

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Poales and the family Poaceae, it is classified under the genus Cymbopogon.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several key regions of the African continent. In Northern Africa, its presence is documented in the countries of Algeria, Egypt, and Morocco. The species also extends into the tropical zones of West Africa. Specifically, it can be found growing in the nation of Benin. Additionally, its range includes the West Tropical African country of Gambia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cymbopogon citratus is characterized by its broad adaptability across various altitudinal gradients, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) to a maximum elevation of 3000 m AMSL, with a mean elevational occurrence of approximately 275 m AMSL. This species exhibits a notable propensity for colonizing anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), where human activity and land modification frequently shape its distribution and availability.

Elevational range max:

3000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

275 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Cymbopogon citratus is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It functions as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, providing protection during unfavorable environmental conditions. Furthermore, the plant exhibits an evergreen deciduousness, maintaining its foliage and photosynthetic capacity throughout much of its existence rather than shedding all leaves seasonally.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cymbopogon citratus is characterized by a graminoid growth form, functioning as a non-woody herb. It is a self-supporting plant that does not exhibit climbing or vine-like tendencies, nor does it function as a parasite, remaining an independent organism. As a terrestrial species, it is neither aquatic nor an epiphyte, growing directly in soil environments. The plant typically reaches a mean height of approximately 1.75 m, forming dense clumps of foliage characteristic of its botanical structure.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

graminoid

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

1.75 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cymbopogon citratus is characterized by several distinct metabolic and structural adaptations that facilitate its growth in warm, tropical environments. Primarily, the plant utilizes a C4 photosynthetic pathway, which allows for more efficient carbon fixation and higher water-use efficiency compared to C3 plants, particularly under high light intensities and elevated temperatures. Structurally, the plant lacks succulence, meaning it does not possess specialized thickened tissues for significant water storage within its leaves or stems. Furthermore, Cymbopogon citratus is not a nitrogen fixer, as it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, thus relying instead on the availability of nitrogen within the soil substrate for its nutritional requirements.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C4

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cymbopogon citratus involves complex mechanisms for the dissemination of its offspring, primarily characterized by its dispersal syndromes. The plant exhibits an anemochorous dispersal strategy, utilizing wind currents to transport its seeds or propagules across distances. Additionally, its reproductive success is further facilitated by an anemochorous mode of dispersal, indicating a reliance on atmospheric movement to facilitate the expansion of its population within its natural habitat.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cymbopogon citratus has 1 reported plant parts identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Malaria journal
2. Natural product research
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Food chemistry
5. African health sciences

Chemicals

Cymbopogon citratus has 144 reported phytochemicals identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Citral, GERANIAL, NERAL, GERANIOL, Citronellol.

Citral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. Food chemistry
4. Natural product research
5. International journal of molecular sciences

GERANIAL

1. Malaria journal
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Parasite (Paris, France)
5. Planta medica

NERAL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Malaria journal
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. PeerJ

GERANIOL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Nutrients
3. International journal of molecular sciences
4. BMC biotechnology
5. Food science & nutrition

Citronellol

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology
4. Journal de mycologie medicale
5. The Korean journal of physiology & pharmacology : official journal of the Korean Physiological Society and the Korean Society of Pharmacology

Flavonoids

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. ACS omega
5. Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan

Tannins

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Data in brief
4. Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan

Terpenoids

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
2. Frontiers in microbiology
3. Parasitology
4. Acta medica Philippina

CITRONELLAL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Linalool

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Journal de mycologie medicale

Activities

Cymbopogon citratus has 500 reported activities identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antidiabetic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Scientific reports
4. Malaria journal
5. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Antimicrobial

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
2. Scientific reports
3. BMC biotechnology
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Ancient science of life

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Future microbiology
3. IET nanobiotechnology
4. BMC biotechnology
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antifungal

1. Bioinformation
2. Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition)
3. IET nanobiotechnology
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Scientific reports

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Frontiers in nutrition
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antinociceptive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology

Antimalarial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Scientifica

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports

Anticholinesterase

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Medicinal Uses

Cymbopogon citratus has 83 reported medicinal uses identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include oxidative stress, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, malaria, Bacillus cereus.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations