Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Steud.) W.Watson

Taxonomy: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Liliopsida > Poales > Poaceae > Cymbopogon > Cymbopogon flexuosus

Description: Perennial herbs; culms 80-240 cm high, tufted; nodes glabrous. Leaves 20-80 x 1-2 cm, linear, rounded at base, flat; sheaths glabrous; ligule ovate, membranous. Inflorescence a large complex greyish panicle; branches slender, flexuous, often drooping. Racemes paired, with a spatheole beneath. Spikelets binate, one sessile, other pedicelled. Sessile spikelets 4-5 mm long, elliptic-lanceolate. Lower glume c. 3 x 1 mm, elliptic-lanceolate, keels winged towards apex; upper glume ovate-lanceolate, margins ciliate; lower floret empty. Upper floret bisexual; first lemma 2.5-3 x 1 mm, lanceolate, purplish, epaleate; second lemma c. 2 x 0.4 mm, deeply 2-fid, awned, hyaline, awn 6-10 mm. Stamens 3, anthers 1-2 mm long. Ovary c. 1 mm, oblong, stigmas 1-1.5 mm long. Caryopsis c. 2 mm long, elliptic. Pedicelled spikelets 3-4 mm long, lanceolate; pedicels c. 2 mm long, densely villous; lower glume c. 3 x 1 mm, ovate-lanceolate; upper glume c. 3 x 1 mm, elliptic-lanceolate; lower floret male; upper floret wanting; first lemma c. 3 x 1 mm, elliptic-lanceolate. Stamens 3, anthers 1.5-2 mm long.

Flowering and Fruiting: November-January

Uses: An essential oil extracted from the leaves has a wide range of applications, being used in perfumes, soaps, detergents etc.

Cultivation: Cultivated

References

http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org

https://indiabiodiversity.org