Cymbopogon distans
Cymbopogon distans, commonly known as wild lemongrass, is a perennial grass valued for its aromatic properties. Native to various African regions, this medicinal plant is rich in essential oils. It is traditionally used to treat digestive issues, reduce inflammation, and combat infections, offering significant therapeutic potential in herbal medicine.
- Scientific name: Cymbopogon distans
- Family: Poaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
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. Therefore, its full taxonomic identity is established as Cymbopogon distans.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Poales | WCVP |
| Family | Poaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Cymbopogon | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Cymbopogon distans, is known by various common names across different linguistic and regional contexts. In Arabic, it is referred to as إذخر نائي, while in Chinese, it is commonly identified as 芸香草, 香草, or specifically 芸香草 (zh-cn) and 蕓香草 (zh-tw).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ar | إذخر نائي | Wikidata |
| zh | 芸香草 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 芸香草 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 蕓香草 | Wikidata |
| zh | 香草 | Wikidata |
| zh | 云香草 | Wikidata |
| zh | 诸葛草 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide geographical range spanning several distinct regions across Asia. In China, it is found distributed throughout the South-Central and North-Central areas. Its presence also extends into the high-altitude terrain of Tibet. Moving toward the Indian Subcontinent, the species can be located within the borders of Nepal. Finally, the distribution reaches into Pakistan, marking its presence across these diverse landscapes.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | Tibet | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Nepal | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Pakistan | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | West Himalaya | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Cymbopogon distans, is primarily valued for the bioactive compounds contained within its leaves, from which its essential oil is extracted. This essential oil serves as the most significant medicinal part of the plant, containing aromatic compounds that are utilized for their antimicrobial, antifungal, and insecticidal properties. Through steam distillation of the foliage, the oil is captured, providing a concentrated essence used in various therapeutic applications and natural formulations.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| essential oil | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Cymbopogon distans has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include citral, geraniol, geranyl acetate, geranial, neral.
- Total chemicals
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| citral | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| geraniol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| geranyl acetate | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| geranial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| neral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Cymbopogon distans has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include inflammation, neurodegenerative disorders, neuroinflammation, skin diseases.
- Total uses
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| neurodegenerative disorders | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| neuroinflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| skin diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |