Poaceae FAMILY

Chrysopogon zizanioides

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Chrysopogon zizanioides is a coarse, evergreen, perennial grass forming large, dense clumps 1 - 1.5 metres tall, occasionally to 3 metres[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. The plant has a stout, compact, aromatic, branched, spongy rhizome and fibrous root system growing to a depth of 4 metres[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. Vetiveria grass is the source of a valuable essential oil, for which purpose it is often grown commercially. Amongst its many other uses, it provides material for thatch, has many medicinal applications and is cultivated to protect the soil from erosion.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeE. Asia - Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand.

HabitatFloodplains and the banks of streams and rivers[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. Rich moist soils, often along water courses[ 454 Title Useful Fiber Plants of the World Publication Author Dodge C.R. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher USDA; Washington. Year 1897 ISBN Description A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet. ].