Cymbopogon schoenanthus
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64402f81ca43a034768296 |
| Scientific name | Cymbopogon schoenanthus |
| Authority | Spreng. |
| First published in | Pl. Min. Cogn. Pug. 2: 15 (1815) |
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- Steam‑distilled essential oil, commonly marketed as “Schoenanthus oil” or a lemongrass‑type oil, obtained from the fresh or air‑dried above‑ground plant material (yield ≈ 0.5–1.5 % w/w).
- Dried leaves and stems sold as a culinary herb/spice for flavoring.
Industrial and craft applications:
- The essential oil is incorporated into natural insect‑repellent formulations (aerosol sprays, skin lotions, candles, and mosquito coils) because of its high citronellal content (≈ 60–80 %).
- It serves as a fragrance component in soaps, detergents, surface cleaners, and other household products, providing a fresh citrus‑herbaceous note.
- The stiff, dry stems are locally used for basic thatching of small structures, for weaving simple mats, and for making brooms or cordage, exploiting their moderate tensile strength.
Food and beverages (non‑medicinal):
- Fresh or dried leaves and stems are chopped or ground and added to soups, stews, rice dishes, and spice blends, especially in Horn‑of‑Africa cuisines and in Arabian‑Peninsula cooking, where they impart a lemon‑like aroma.
- The dried material is also employed as a tea‑flavoring additive, contributing a citrus‑herbaceous note without medicinal claims.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
- The oil functions as a top‑note fragrance in perfumery and in personal‑care products such as body washes, shampoos, lotions, and deodorants, where its bright citrus profile is valued for lasting freshness.
Properties relevant to use:
- Chemical profile: citronellal (≈ 60–80 %), geraniol (≈ 5–10 %), citronellol (≈ 4–8 %), and minor sesquiterpenes; the high citronellal level confers strong insect‑repellent activity and a characteristic lemon‑citrus odor.
- Physical properties: oil density ≈ 0.880 g mL⁻¹ at 20 °C; refractive index ≈ 1.465; ester value typical of lemongrass‑type oils.
- Mechanical properties: stems possess moderate tensile strength suitable for coarse weaving and simple structural applications.
Standards and regulation:
- Schoenanthus oil produced for commercial use typically conforms to ISO 4730 (Oil of Lemongrass) for chemical specifications such as citronellal content, refractive index, and acid value.
- Fragrance and cosmetic applications are governed by IFRA guidelines on safe usage limits and by the EU Cosmetic Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, which requires labeling of fragrance allergens.
Sustainability and sourcing:
- The species is harvested from wild, semi‑arid populations across sub‑Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula; limited cultivation exists in Kenya and Sudan to supply essential‑oil markets.
- Sustainable practices include cutting stems above ground to allow regeneration, rotating harvesting sites, and encouraging small‑scale cultivation to reduce pressure on wild stands.
- Monitoring of wild populations is recommended to prevent over‑exploitation, particularly where the oil is a primary income source for local communities.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Andropogon circinnatus | Hochst. & Steud. ex Steud. | Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1(4-5): 387. 1854 [1855 publ. 20-21 Jul 1854] |
| Andropogon eriophorus | Willd. | Sp. Pl., ed. 4 [Willdenow] 4(2): 910. 1806 [Apr 1806] |
| Andropogon laniger | Munro | J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 19: 409 (1882) |
| Andropogon schoenanthus var. versicolor | (Nees ex Steud.) Hack. | Monogr. Phan. 6: 610. 1889 |
| Cymbopogon arabicus | Nees ex Steud. | Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1(4-5): 387. 1854 [1855 publ. 20-21 Jul 1854] |
| Cymbopogon citriodorus | Link | Enum. Hort. Berol. Alt. 1: 107 (1821) |
| Lagurus schoenanthus | Steud. | Nomencl. Bot. : 461 (1821) |
| Sorghum schoenanthus | Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 792 (1891) |
| Trachypogon schoenanthus | Nees | Linnaea 7: 281. 1832 |
| Andropogon schoenanthus | L. | Sp. Pl. : 1046 (1753) |
| Andropogon lanigerum | Desf. | Fl. Atlant. 2: 379 1800 |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | camel grass |
| Afrikaans | kameelgras |
| Arabic | إذخر مكي |
| Arabic | إذخر |
| Arabic | حشيشة الجمل |
| Arabic | أبوركية |
| Arabic | حلفابر |
| Czech | voňatka šašinová |
| Persian | گورگیاه |
| grc | σχοῖνος |
| Hausa | nobe |
| Malayalam | നാന്മുഖപ്പുല്ല് |
| Dutch | kameelgras |
| Polish | palczatka wełnista |
Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Cymbopogon schoenanthus subsp. proximus | (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Maire & Weiller | Fl. Afrique N. 1: 287 (1952) |
| Cymbopogon schoenanthus subsp. schoenanthus |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Africa click to expand
-
East Tropical Africa
- Kenya
-
Northeast Tropical Africa
- Chad
- Djibouti
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Somalia
- Sudan
-
Northern Africa
- Algeria
- Egypt
- Libya
- Morocco
- Tunisia
- Western Sahara
-
West Tropical Africa
- Benin
- Burkina
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Ivory Coast
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Togo
-
West-central Tropical Africa
- Central African Republic
-
Western Indian Ocean
- Réunion
-
East Tropical Africa
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
Arabian Peninsula
- Gulf States
- Oman
- Saudi Arabia
- Yemen
-
Western Asia
- Iran
- Palestine
- Sinai
-
Arabian Peninsula
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000861106 |
| UNII | RJJ0F54DE8 |
| USDA Plants | CYSC8 |
| Tropicos | 25510896 |
| INPN | 629510 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:397010-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-406274 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 913224 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 79841 |
| IPNI | 397010-1 |
| iNaturalist | 506860 |
| GBIF | 2705269 |
| Freebase | /m/04f0bkm |
| EPPO | CYGSH |
| EOL | 1114865 |
| USDA GRIN | 12821 |
| Wikipedia | Cymbopogon_schoenanthus |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Hydrocarbons / Unsaturated hydrocarbons / Branched unsaturated hydrocarbons | |||||
| Bicyclo[5.2.0]nonane, 2-methylene-4,8,8-trimethyl-4-vinyl- | 564746 | Click to see CC1(CC2C1CCC(CC2=C)(C)C=C)C | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| Gamma-Terpinene | 7461 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Bicyclic monoterpenoids | |||||
| 4-Carene, (1S,3R,6R)-(-)- | 530422 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Menthane monoterpenoids | |||||
| 2-Cyclohexen-1-ol, 3-methyl-6-(1-methylethyl)-, (1R,6R)-rel- | 85568 | Click to see | 154.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| 2-Methyl-5-(1-methylethenyl)cyclohexanol | 12072 | Click to see | 154.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Monocyclic monoterpenoids | |||||
| o-Mentha-1(7),8-dien-3-ol | 564552 | Click to see | 152.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids | |||||
| 2-Isopropenyl-1-methyl-4-(1-methylethylidene)-1-vinylcyclohexane | 6432312 | Click to see CC(=C1CCC(C(C1)C(=C)C)(C)C=C)C | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| a Farnesol | 3327 | Click to see | 222.37 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| alpha-Santalene | 94164 | Click to see | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| Bulnesol | 90785 | Click to see | 222.37 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| Cyclosativene | 519960 | Click to see | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| Eudesm-7(11)-en-4-ol | 6432454 | Click to see | 222.37 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| gamma-Muurolene | 12313020 | Click to see CC1=CC2C(CC1)C(=C)CCC2C(C)C | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| Hinesol | 289964 | Click to see CC1CCC=C(C12CCC(C2)C(C)(C)O)C | 222.37 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Agarofurans | |||||
| Dihydroagarofuran | 21593552 | Click to see | 222.37 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Chamigranes | |||||
| beta-Chamigrene | 442353 | Click to see | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Eremophilane, 8,9-secoeremophilane and furoeremophilane sesquiterpenoids | |||||
| (1S,7S,8aR)-1,2,3,4,6,7,8,8a-Octahydro-1,8a-dimethyl-7-(1-methylethenyl)naphthalene | 656496 | Click to see | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Eudesmane, isoeudesmane or cycloeudesmane sesquiterpenoids | |||||
| (-)-7-Epi-alpha-selinene | 10726905 | Click to see CC1=CCCC2(C1CC(CC2)C(=C)C)C | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| alpha-Eudesmol | 92762 | Click to see CC1=CCCC2(C1CC(CC2)C(C)(C)O)C | 222.37 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Guaianes | |||||
| Bicyclo(5.3.0)decane, 2-methylene-5-(1-methylvinyl)-8-methyl- | 564533 | Click to see | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Lactones / Gamma butyrolactones | |||||
| Andrographolide | 5318517 | Click to see CC12CCC(C(C1CCC(=C)C2CC=C3C(COC3=O)O)(C)CO)O | 350.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Piperidines | |||||
| 2-Piperidineethanamine | 27568 | Click to see | 128.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APJTM.2016.06.009 |
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| In public collections | 0 |