Ceylon citronella

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Ceylon citronella
• citronella
• citronella grass
• giant turpentine grass
• nard grass
• new citronella grass
• Syrian Nard
• Tambuti

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cymbopogon validus var. lysocladus
• Cymbopogon virgatus
• Lagurus paniculatus
• Cymbopogon nardus subsp. nilgiricus
• Andropogon hamulatus
• Andropogon grandis
• Sorghum nardus
• Cymbopogon nardus var. luridus
• Andropogon nardus var. prolixus
• Cymbopogon nardus var. confertiflorus
• Andropogon nardus subsp. nilagiricus
• Cymbopogon prolixus
• Andropogon nardus var. zeyheri
• Cymbopogon claessensii
• Andropogon nardus var. validus
• Cymbopogon confertiflorus
• Andropogon nardus var. luridus
• Cymbopogon validus
• Andropogon nardus subsp. grandis
• Cymbopogon thwaitesii
• Andropogon pseudohirtus
• Cymbopogon afronardus
• Andropogon confertiflorus
• Andropogon thwaitesii

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 family Poaceae, it is classified under the genus Cymbopogon.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across several key regions of the African continent. In Northern Africa, it can be found growing within the borders of Egypt. Moving toward West Tropical Africa, the species is documented in Nigeria. Its presence extends into West-Central Tropical Africa, where it inhabits the nations of Burundi and Rwanda. Finally, the plant is also widely distributed within the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cymbopogon nardus is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution and a high capacity for adaptation to human-altered environments. This species thrives across a significant vertical gradient, ranging from low-lying coastal or lowland areas at an elevation of 3 m AMSL to high-altitude regions reaching up to 2200 m AMSL. Furthermore, its ecological presence is notably marked by its ability to colonize and persist within "Área Antrópica" (anthropic areas), indicating a strong affinity for habitats shaped or disturbed by human activity, such as cultivated lands, gardens, or disturbed roadsides.

Elevational range max:

2200 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

3 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Cymbopogon narcos is characterized by its status 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 the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or organic matter. This species maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and green throughout much of its life cycle without shedding all its leaves seasonally.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cymbopogon nardus is characterized by its graminoid growth form, functioning as a non-woody herb. It is a self-supporting plant that does not exhibit climbing habits, such as vines or lianas, and operates as an independent organism rather than a parasite. As a strictly terrestrial species, it is neither aquatic nor an epiphyte. In terms of stature, the plant reaches a mean height of approximately 2 m, though individual specimens can attain a maximum height of up to 3 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

graminoid

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

3 m

Plant height mean:

2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cymbopogon nardus is characterized by a highly efficient metabolic framework designed for survival in warm, sun-exposed environments. It utilizes a C4 photosynthetic pathway, which allows the plant to concentrate carbon dioxide around the enzyme Rubisco, thereby minimizing photorespiration and maximizing water-use efficiency compared to C3 plants. This specialized carbon fixation mechanism enables the plant to maintain high rates of biomass production even under high light intensities and elevated temperatures. Furthermore, Cymbopogon nardus is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it does not possess a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms; instead, it relies on the uptake of inorganic nitrogen, such as nitrates and ammonium, directly from the soil through its root system.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C4

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

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

Root

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Cymbopogon nardus has 51 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include GERANIOL, Citronellol, CITRONELLAL, EO, Elemol.

GERANIOL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
3. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
4. International journal of molecular sciences
5. Current drug discovery technologies

Citronellol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
3. International journal of molecular sciences
4. Current drug discovery technologies
5. International journal of nanomedicine

CITRONELLAL

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Current drug discovery technologies
4. International journal of nanomedicine

EO

1. Dr. Duke
2. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)

Elemol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Flavonoids

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of inflammation research

GERANIAL

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. International journal of nanomedicine

NERAL

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. International journal of nanomedicine

NEROLIDOL

1. Dr. Duke
2. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics

farnesol

1. Dr. Duke
2. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics

Activities

Cymbopogon nardus has 184 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Anthelmintic, Anticonvulsant, Insect-Repellent.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Current drug discovery technologies
4. Journal of inflammation research

Antimicrobial

1. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Current drug discovery technologies

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current drug discovery technologies

Anticonvulsant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current drug discovery technologies

Insect-Repellent

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

Repellent

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. The Southeast Asian journal of tropical medicine and public health

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Cymbopogon nardus has 23 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Aspergillus niger, C. parapsilosis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Plasmodium falciparum.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Aspergillus niger

1. Cureus

C. parapsilosis

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Lactobacillus acidophilus

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Plasmodium falciparum

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Staphylococcus aureus

1. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)

Toxoplasma gondii infection

1. The Journal of veterinary medical science

Anticonvulsant

1. Current drug discovery technologies

Antioxidant

1. Current drug discovery technologies

Biofilms

1. Food science and biotechnology

Preparations

Cymbopogon nardus has 12 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include essential oils, EO, Essential Oil, Ethanol Extract, ME+EO.

Essential oils

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
3. Tropical biomedicine

Eo

1. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
2. International journal of nanomedicine

Essential oil

1. International journal of nanomedicine

Ethanol extract

1. Journal of inflammation research

Me+eo

1. International journal of nanomedicine

Citronella oil

1. Current drug discovery technologies

Essential oil

1. Food science and biotechnology

Inflorescences

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Microemulsion (me)

1. International journal of nanomedicine

Root methanolic extracts

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)